Search

Search Results

• 1. [Article] The Effect of Plasma on Graphene Quality in an Inductively Couple Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition Reactor

  Despite continued interest in research and application development, full scale graphene production is still limited by many factors including prohibitively high growth temperature requirements. Extremely ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: The Effect of Plasma on Graphene Quality in an Inductively Couple Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition Reactor Author: Coyne, Brendan Year: 2017 Despite continued interest in research and application development, full scale graphene production is still limited by many factors including prohibitively high growth temperature requirements. Extremely high quality graphene growth is possible at high temperatures using chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Use of an inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition (ICP CVD) reactor with the benefit of precursor gas decomposition through plasma generation, may provide possibility to reduce growth temperature. Herein, we report plasma’s effects on graphene growth by comparing growths of increasing power supplied to plasma generation and changes in precursor gas ratios. Plasma composition was characterized by ultraviolet and visible light spectroscopy; graphene was characterized by Raman spectroscopy. Plasma was observed to change gradually and in a threshold shift. Gradual changes in plasma resulted in changes in graphene quality, both defect density and number of layers. The shift produced sudden changes in graphene quality. Further, increasing power before and after the shift produced opposite correlated trends. Finally, reduced hydrogen to acetylene gas ratios produced plasma associated with higher powers at a higher gas ratio. Though the comparative plasma spectra between the two reduced gas ratio growths were very similar, the quality of graphene was different. Additionally, both lower gas ratio growths produced quality different than what was expected by the trends suggested by the higher gas ratio growths. Though plasma demonstrated a role in graphene quality, a more detailed understand of its driving mechanisms must be developed in conjunction with other growth mechanisms if it is to be utilized to substantially reduce growth temperature. Title: The Effect of Plasma on Graphene Quality in an Inductively Couple Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition Reactor Author: Coyne, Brendan Year: 2017 Despite continued interest in research and application development, full scale graphene production is still limited by many factors including prohibitively high growth temperature requirements. Extremely high quality graphene growth is possible at high temperatures using chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Use of an inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition (ICP CVD) reactor with the benefit of precursor gas decomposition through plasma generation, may provide possibility to reduce growth temperature. Herein, we report plasma’s effects on graphene growth by comparing growths of increasing power supplied to plasma generation and changes in precursor gas ratios. Plasma composition was characterized by ultraviolet and visible light spectroscopy; graphene was characterized by Raman spectroscopy. Plasma was observed to change gradually and in a threshold shift. Gradual changes in plasma resulted in changes in graphene quality, both defect density and number of layers. The shift produced sudden changes in graphene quality. Further, increasing power before and after the shift produced opposite correlated trends. Finally, reduced hydrogen to acetylene gas ratios produced plasma associated with higher powers at a higher gas ratio. Though the comparative plasma spectra between the two reduced gas ratio growths were very similar, the quality of graphene was different. Additionally, both lower gas ratio growths produced quality different than what was expected by the trends suggested by the higher gas ratio growths. Though plasma demonstrated a role in graphene quality, a more detailed understand of its driving mechanisms must be developed in conjunction with other growth mechanisms if it is to be utilized to substantially reduce growth temperature. Close

• 2. [Article] One-Dimensional Nanostructure and Sensing Applications: Tin Dioxide Nanowires and Carbon Nanotubes

  The key challenge for a nanomaterial based sensor is how to synthesize in bulk quantity and fabricate an actual device with insightful understanding of operational mechanisms during performance. I report ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: One-Dimensional Nanostructure and Sensing Applications: Tin Dioxide Nanowires and Carbon Nanotubes Author: Tran, Hoang Anh Year: 2016 The key challenge for a nanomaterial based sensor is how to synthesize in bulk quantity and fabricate an actual device with insightful understanding of operational mechanisms during performance. I report here effective, controllable methods that exploit the concepts of the "green approach" to synthesize two different one-dimensional nanostructures, including tin oxide nanowires and carbon nanotubes. The syntheses are followed by product characterization and sensing device fabrications as well as sensor performance understanding at the molecular level. Sensor-analyte response and recovery kinetics are also presented. The first part of the thesis describes bulk-scale synthesis and characterization of tin oxide nanowires by the molten salt synthetic method and the nanowire doping with antimony (n-types) and lithium. The work builds on the success of using n-doped SnO2 nanoparticles to selectively detect chlorine gas at room temperature. Replacing n-doped nanoparticles with n-doped nanowires reduces the number of inter-particle electron hops between sensing electrodes. The nanowire based sensors show unprecedented 5 ppb detectability of corrosive Cl2 gas concentration in air. At the higher range, 10 ppm of Cl2 gas leads to a 250 fold increase in the device resistance. During sensor recovery, FT-IR studies show that dichlorine monoxide (Cl2O) and chlorine dioxide (ClO2) are the desorbing species. Long term stability of devices is affected by lattice oxygen vacancies replaced by chlorine atoms. Bulk-scale synthesis of multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) was achieved by a novel inexpensive synthetic method. The green chemistry method uses the non-toxic and easy to handle solid carbon source naphthalene. The synthesis is carried out by simply heating naphthalene and organometallic precursors as catalysts in a sealed glass tube. Synthesis at 610º C leads to MWCNTs of 50 nm diameter and lengths exceeding well over microns. MWCNT doping is attempted with nitrogen (n-type) and boron (p-type) precursors. Palladium nanoparticles decorated on as-synthesized MWCNTs are employed for specific detection of explosive hydrogen gas with concentrations far below the explosive concentration limits. During performance, the sensor exhibits abnormal response behaviors at hydrogen gas concentrations higher than 1%. A model of charge carrier inversion, brought about by reduction of MWCNT by hydrogen molecules dissociated by Pd nanoparticles is proposed. Title: One-Dimensional Nanostructure and Sensing Applications: Tin Dioxide Nanowires and Carbon Nanotubes Author: Tran, Hoang Anh Year: 2016 The key challenge for a nanomaterial based sensor is how to synthesize in bulk quantity and fabricate an actual device with insightful understanding of operational mechanisms during performance. I report here effective, controllable methods that exploit the concepts of the "green approach" to synthesize two different one-dimensional nanostructures, including tin oxide nanowires and carbon nanotubes. The syntheses are followed by product characterization and sensing device fabrications as well as sensor performance understanding at the molecular level. Sensor-analyte response and recovery kinetics are also presented. The first part of the thesis describes bulk-scale synthesis and characterization of tin oxide nanowires by the molten salt synthetic method and the nanowire doping with antimony (n-types) and lithium. The work builds on the success of using n-doped SnO2 nanoparticles to selectively detect chlorine gas at room temperature. Replacing n-doped nanoparticles with n-doped nanowires reduces the number of inter-particle electron hops between sensing electrodes. The nanowire based sensors show unprecedented 5 ppb detectability of corrosive Cl2 gas concentration in air. At the higher range, 10 ppm of Cl2 gas leads to a 250 fold increase in the device resistance. During sensor recovery, FT-IR studies show that dichlorine monoxide (Cl2O) and chlorine dioxide (ClO2) are the desorbing species. Long term stability of devices is affected by lattice oxygen vacancies replaced by chlorine atoms. Bulk-scale synthesis of multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) was achieved by a novel inexpensive synthetic method. The green chemistry method uses the non-toxic and easy to handle solid carbon source naphthalene. The synthesis is carried out by simply heating naphthalene and organometallic precursors as catalysts in a sealed glass tube. Synthesis at 610º C leads to MWCNTs of 50 nm diameter and lengths exceeding well over microns. MWCNT doping is attempted with nitrogen (n-type) and boron (p-type) precursors. Palladium nanoparticles decorated on as-synthesized MWCNTs are employed for specific detection of explosive hydrogen gas with concentrations far below the explosive concentration limits. During performance, the sensor exhibits abnormal response behaviors at hydrogen gas concentrations higher than 1%. A model of charge carrier inversion, brought about by reduction of MWCNT by hydrogen molecules dissociated by Pd nanoparticles is proposed. Close