Tracking down the catalytic hydrogenation of multilayer graphene

Journal article

Catalytic hydrogenation is considered to be a key technological approach to structure graphene nanoribbons with desired and specific edge termination. In the present study the hydrogenation was catalyzed utilizing pre-defined cobalt nanoparticles that act as knives to cut graphite substrates in a hydrogen atmosphere at elevated temperatures. Only catalyst particles that reside at an exposed graphite edge carve into the graphite thus leaving etch tracks behind. Particles lying on the flat graphite plane do not etch channels. Thorough morphological and structural characterization of the Co catalyst particles is carried out using aberration-corrected low voltage high resolution electron microscopy. Based on our findings conclusions on the underlying hydrogenation mechanism are drawn that support the previously proposed interfacial hydrogen mechanism. © 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Authors: Schäffel, F; Warner, J; Bachmatiuk, A; Queitsch, U; Rellinghaus, B

• Journal: Physica Status Solidi (C) Current Topics in Solid State Physics
• Volume: 7
• Issue: 11-12
• Pages: 2731-2734
• Publication date: 2010-11-01
• DOI: 10.1002/pssc.200983809
• EISSN: 1610-1642
• ISSN: 1862-6351
• Language: English
• Keywords: Graphene nanostructures; HR TBM; Catalytic hydrogenation; Morphology