Systems and methods for production of graphene by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

Abstract

Production of bulk quantities of graphene for commercial ventures has proven difficult due to scalability issues in certain instances. Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition of graphene can address at least some of these issues. Methods for production of graphene by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition can include: providing a metal substrate and a carbonaceous electrode, at least a portion of the metal substrate being located proximate to the carbonaceous electrode with a gap defined therebetween; applying a potential between the metal substrate and the carbonaceous electrode; exciting a plasma-forming gas in the gap between the metal substrate and the carbonaceous electrode in the presence of the applied potential, thereby forming a plasma; ablating a reactive carbon species from the carbonaceous electrode in the presence of the plasma; and growing graphene on the metal substrate from the reactive carbon species.

What is claimed is the following: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a reaction chamber;   a reel-to-reel processing line configured to convey a metal substrate within the reaction chamber between a pay-out reel and a take-up reel;   a carbonaceous electrode housed within the reaction chamber and disposed proximate to a location through which the metal substrate is conveyed;
 wherein the carbonaceous electrode and the reel-to-reel processing line are electrically connected so as to be configured to apply a potential between the metal substrate and the carbonaceous electrode; and 
   a gas inlet configured to flow a plasma-forming gas in a gap between the metal substrate and the carbonaceous electrode.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pay-out reel and the take-up reel are located outside the reaction chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pay-out reel and the take-up reel are located inside the reaction chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the carbonaceous electrode comprises a graphite electrode, a glassy carbon electrode, a carbon fiber electrode, an organic polymer electrode embedded with electrically conductive particles, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the metal substrate comprises copper. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the potential comprises a radiofrequency voltage. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the radiofrequency voltage comprises an underlying waveform whose polarity alternates as a function of time. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the potential comprises a DC voltage. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to operate at atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to operate at a sub-atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to ablate a reactive carbon species from the carbonaceous electrode in the presence of a plasma. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the system is configured to generate the plasma and apply plasma energy to both the carbonaceous electrode and the metal substrate. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the system is configured to apply the plasma energy alternately to the carbonaceous electrode and the metal substrate. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the carbonaceous electrode further comprises a carbon nanomaterial.