Nano Diamond to Synthesize Graphene Successfully, Cheap and Timesaving

You probably have heard of various advantages of graphene, such as great strength, excellent electrical properties, thermal conductivity and electron mobility. All of these different features make graphene have a huge influence in touch screen, semiconductors, solar cells, supercapacitors and other fields.

However, only in the case of pure raw materials, it can produce high-performance graphene. Making high-performance graphene is very challenging, but Argonne National Laboratory in the United States Department of Energy found a possible solution - ultra nano diamond.

Anirudha Sumant is a scientist leading Argonne National Laboratory. They are currently working with University of California, and use ultra nano diamond as substrate to synthesize graphene. The synthetic method can guarantee to remove most of the impurities, and can synthesize grapheme at a lower temperature. It can save more time than silicon carbide synthesizing graphene. The price of three or four layers of silicon carbide crystals is closer to $1200, while ultra nano diamond only costs less than $500, with higher economic benefit.

Researchers have published the research result in Nature Communications. Of course, laboratory researchers will continue to optimize the manufacturing method of graphene.

Previously, Japanese researchers improved the way of using silicon carbide synthetizing grapheme. Although it could get higher quality graphene, it could not reduce the cost.