Influence of irradiation upon few-layered graphene using electron-beams and gamma-rays

Abstract

Few-layered graphene (FLG) is irradiated by electron beams and gamma rays. After 100 keV electron irradiation, the edges of FLG start bending, shrinking, and finally generate gaps and carbon onions due to sputtering and knock-on damage mechanism. When the electron beam energy is increased further to 200 keV, FLG suffers rapid and catastrophic destruction. Unlike electron irradiation, Compton effect is the dominant damage mechanism in gamma irradiation. The irradiation results indicate the crystallinity of FLG decreases first, then restores as increasing irradiation doses, additionally, the ratio (O/C) of FLG surface and the relative content of oxygen groups increases after irradiation. © 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.