Graphene can "endure" ozone for ten minutes

Russian, French, Swedish and Greek scientists have worked together to develop an industrial technology to clean graphene, a new method to make graphene more stable, even in contact with ozone for 10 minutes is also "unharmed." The researchers said that the results of nanotechnology in the field of electronic technology is an important step forward, will vigorously promote the development of the field. 

Graphene is a material that is 100 million times thinner than the hair. It is composed of single-layer carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb structure. It has high conductivity, durability and ductility, and can be used to manufacture a variety of nanoelectronic devices .

In the production process, the polymer coating residue will "contaminate" the graphene, reduces its internal load carrier fluidity. Thermal annealing, plasma de-gelling, and chemical solvents can remove polymer residues, but at the same time impair the purity of graphene. One of the most commonly used methods of purification is the use of ozone, which, while highly reactive, can cause defects in the graphene while destroying the polymer residue, resulting in a weakening of the performance. Now it's not stable, so we are using lifepo4 batteries or other type, it can be used in solar powered portable generator.

In view of this, scientists at the Moscow Institute of Engineering Physics (MEPhI) of the Russian National Nuclear Energy Research Institute have succeeded in obtaining highly stable graphene using high-temperature silicon carbide (SiC) sublimation, which has been exposed to ozone for more than 10 minutes While the normal graphene in the same environment, three to four minutes will be impaired performance.

To further verify the test results, scientists in Greece, France and Sweden, through computer modeling to clarify why the silicon carbide - graphene in the violent oxygen free radicals can still be "unscathed" and more stable: the new graphene Unusual stability is clearly related to the low roughness of the epitaxial graphene on the silicon carbide substrate.

The latest discovery helps to better purify graphene, resulting in high-quality industrial graphene with stable electrical properties.