SIMULATION OF THE DYNAMICS OF ISOTHERMAL GROWTH OF SINGLE-LAYER GRAPHENE ON A COPPER CATALYST IN THE PROCESS OF CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION OF HYDROCARBONS

A new kinetic model of isothermal growth of single-layer graphene on a copper catalyst as a result of the chemical vapor deposition of hydrocarbons on it at a low pressure has been developed on the basis of in situ measurements of the growth of graphene in the process of its synthesis. This model defi nes the synthesis of graphene with regard for the chemisorption and catalytic decomposition of ethylene on the surface of a copper catalyst, the diffusion of carbon atoms in the radial direction to the nucleation centers within the thin melted near-surface copper layer, and the nucleation and autocatalytic growth of graphene domains. It is shown that the time dependence of the rate of growth of a graphene domain has a characteristic asymmetrical bell-like shape. The dependences of the surface area and size of a graphene domain and the rate of its growth on the time at different synthesis temperatures and ethylene concentrations have been obtained. Time characteristics of the growth of graphene domains depending on the parameters of their synthesis were calculated. The results obtained can be used for determining optimum regimes of synthesis of graphene in the process of chemical vapor deposition of hydrocarbons on different catalysts with a low solubility of carbon.
   
Author:  S. I. Futko, B. G. Shulitskii, V. A. Labunov, and E. M. Ermolaeva
Keywords:  graphene, carbon allotropes, in situ graphene growth dynamics, chemical vapor deposition, copper catalyst, heterogeneous catalyst, transition metals, hydrocarbons
Page:  136