Sustainable low temperature carrier gas-free growth of graphene on non-catalytic substrates

Abstract

Significant advancements have been made in the manufacturing of vertically aligned graphene; however a key limitation is that existing methods are largely unsustainable due to high energy usage, non-renewable precursors and carrier gases, and costly substrates. We address these key issues through the development of a novel methodology for vertically aligned graphene growth on soda-lime glass that utilizes low temperatures and sustainable materials without the need for catalytic substrates or carrier gases. Our analysis shows that it is possible to grow sustainable, device grade graphene using low-temperature plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition. We further demonstrate how our vertically aligned graphene on glass can function as a humidity sensor with a response faster than a typical commercially available sensor, highlighting the potential of the proposed method for producing sustainable graphene-based sensors.