Flame Synthesis of Graphene Films in Open Environments

TL;DR

This paper introduces a scalable flame synthesis method for producing high-quality, few-layer graphene films in open environments, offering advantages in speed, purity, and cost over traditional techniques.

Contribution

It presents a novel flame-based process for large-area graphene growth that achieves high purity and rapid production in open atmospheres, expanding potential industrial applications.

Findings

Comparable transmittance and resistance to CVD graphene

Lower oxygen content than CVD-grown graphene

Enables synthesis of other carbon nanostructures like nanotubes

Abstract

Few-layer graphene (FLG) is grown on copper and nickel substrates at high rates using a novel flame synthesis method in open-atmosphere environments. Transmittance and resistance properties of the transferred films are similar to those grown by other methods, but the concentration of oxygen, as assessed by XPS, is actually less than that for CVD-grown graphene under near vacuum conditions. The method involves utilizing a multi-element inverse-diffusion-flame burner, where post-flame species and temperatures are radially-uniform upon deposition at a substrate. Advantages of the flame synthesis method are scalability for large-area surface coverage, increased growth rates, high purity and yield, continuous processing, and reduced costs due to efficient use of fuel as both heat source and reagent. Additionally, by adjusting local growth conditions, other carbon nanostructures (i.e. nanotubes) are readily synthesized.