Graphene Growth on Silver Observed for First Time

Phys.org reported earlier this week that Northwestern University, along with the Center for Nanoscale Materials EMMD Group at Argonne, has for the first time demonstrated the growth of graphene on a silver substrate. Also for the first time, the two entities observed a “[u]nique wave-like electron scattering at the edges of the dendritic graphene.”

As quoted in the market news:

Graphene, a one-atom-thick carbon layer with extraordinary conductivity and strength, holds promise for a range of applications. However, current methods for growing graphene on metals have been unsuccessful with silver. While graphene is conventionally grown on a metal surface by catalytically decomposing hydrocarbons at elevated temperatures, this method is ineffective for silver substrates because the substrates are chemically inert and have a relatively low melting point. Using a graphite carbon source, the team was able to grow graphene by depositing atomic carbon, rather than a carbon-based molecular precursor, onto the substrate. The growth circumvented the need for a chemically active surface and allowed the graphene growth at lower temperatures.

Click here to read the full Phys.org report.