Advancements in Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition for Producing Vertical Graphene Nanowalls

Vertical graphene nanowalls supported hybrid W2C/WOx composite material as an efficient non-noble metal electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution

Research for the development of noble metal-free electrodes for hydrogen evolution has blossomed in recent years. Transition metal carbides compounds, such as W2C, have been considered as a promising alternative to replace Pt-family metals as electrocatalysts towards hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Moreover, hybridization of TMCs with graphene nanostructures has emerged as a reliable strategy for the preparation of compounds with high surface to volume ratio and abundant active sites. The present study focuses in the preparation of tungsten carbide/oxide compounds deposited in a three-dimensional vertical graphene nanowalls (VGNW) substrate via chemical vapor deposition, magnetron sputtering and thermal annealing processes. Structural and chemical characterization reveals the partial carburization and oxidation of the W film sputtered on the VGNWs, due to C and O migration from VGNWs towards W during the high temperature annealing process. Electrochemical characterization shows the enhanced performance of the nanostructured hybrid W2C/WOx on VGNW compound towards HER, when compared with planar W2C/WOx films. The W2C/WOx nanoparticles on VGNWs require an overpotential of -252 mV for the generation of 10 mA cm-2. Chronoamperometry tests in high overpotentials reveal the compounds stability while sustaining high currents, in the order of hundreds of mA. Post-chronoamperometry test XPS characterization unveils the formation of a W hydroxide layer which favours hydrogen evolution in acidic electrolytes. We aspire that the presented insights can be valuable for those working on the preparation of hybrid electrodes for electrochemical processes.

Processing and Functionalization of Vertical Graphene Nanowalls by Laser Irradiation

The processing of vertical graphene nanowalls (VGNWs) via laser irradiation is proposed as a means to modulate their physicochemical properties. The effects of the number of applied pulses and fluence of each pulse are examined. Raman spectroscopy studies the effect of irradiation on the chemical structure of the VGNWs. Results show a decrease in density of defects and number of layers, which points toward a mechanism including evaporation of amorphous or loosely bonded C from defective points and recrystallization of graphene. Moreover, the effect of laser irradiation parameters on the morphology of Mo thin films deposited on VGNWs is investigated. The received thermal dosage results in the formation of particles. In this case, the number of pulses and pulse fluence are found to affect the size and distribution of these particles. The study provides a novel approach for the functionalization of VGNWs via laser irradiation, which can be extended to other graphene-based nanostructures.

Graphene nanowalls grown on copper mesh

Graphene nanowalls (GNWs) can be described as extended nanosheets of graphitic carbon where the basal planes are perpendicular to a substrate. Generally, existing techniques to grow films of GNWsare based on plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and the use of diverse substrate materials (Cu, Ni, C, etc) shaped as foils or filaments. Usually, patterned films rely on substrates priorly modified by costly cleanroom procedures. Hence, we report here the characterization, transfer and application of wafer-scale patterned GNWsfilms that were grown on Cu meshes using low-power direct-current PECVD. Reaching wall heights of ∼300 nm, mats of vertically-aligned carbon nanosheets covered square centimeter wire meshes substrates, replicating well the thread dimensions and the tens of micrometer-wide openings of the meshes. Contrastingly, the same growth conditions applied to Cu foils resulted in limited carbon deposition, mostly confined to the substrate edges. Based on the wet transfer procedure turbostratic and graphitic carbon domains co-exist in the GNWsmicrostructure. Interestingly, these nanoscaled patterned films were quite hydrophobic, being able to reverse the wetting behavior of SiO2surfaces. Finally, we show that the GNWscan also be used as the active material for C-on-Cu anodes of Li-ion battery systems.