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Controlled chlorine plasma reaction for noninvasive graphene doping
Justin Wu1, Liming Xie, Yanguang Li
1Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|November 16, 2011
Summary
Chlorine plasma offers controlled graphene functionalization, unlike destructive hydrogen and fluorine reactions. This enables nondestructive p-type doping of graphene materials, enhancing their electrical properties for electronic applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Surface Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Graphene's unique electronic properties make it promising for advanced electronics.
- Plasma functionalization is a key technique for modifying graphene's surface and properties.
- Previous studies show hydrogen and fluorine plasmas rapidly degrade graphene.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the reaction kinetics of chlorine plasma with graphene and graphene nanoribbons.
- To compare chlorine plasma functionalization with hydrogen and fluorine plasma treatments.
- To explore the potential of chlorine plasma for controlled graphene doping and property modification.
Main Methods:
- Exposure of graphene and graphene nanoribbons to chlorine plasma.
- Comparison with hydrogen and fluorine plasma treatments.
- Electrical measurements on functionalized graphene materials (sheets, nanoribbons, films).
- Ab initio simulations to model plasma-graphene interactions.
Main Results:
- Chlorine plasma exhibits significantly slower reaction kinetics with graphene compared to hydrogen and fluorine plasmas.
- Graphene materials functionalized with chlorine plasma show p-type doping.
- Electrical conductance of graphene increases after chlorine plasma treatment, indicating nondestructive doping.
- Simulations reveal distinct functionalization mechanisms for chlorine, fluorine, and hydrogen on graphene.
Conclusions:
- Chlorine plasma enables controlled chlorination of graphene, avoiding the rapid degradation seen with H and F plasmas.
- Chlorination serves as a nondestructive doping method for graphene, enhancing its electrical conductance.
- Understanding the differences in plasma-graphene interactions is crucial for tailoring graphene properties for specific applications.
