ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Research → Materials

Scientists grow graphene on silver

Mihai AndreibyMihai Andrei
November 28, 2013 - Updated on January 6, 2014
in Materials, News
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

The wonder material

Graphene - a one atom thick layer of carbon. photo credit: CORE-Materials
Graphene – a one atom thick layer of carbon. photo credit: CORE-Materials

Graphene, the new wonder material that promises to open a new age in technology, just got a whole lot better. Researchers have reported improved interfacing of graphene with other 2-D materials – basically ‘growing’ graphene on silver. This resulted in an exceptionally pristine sample, presenting opportunities for ultrafast electronics and advanced optics/

“Silver is a widely used material to enhance optical properties,” said Northwestern’s Mark Hersam, a co-author of the paper. “More recently, graphene has emerged as a promising platform for optical technologies. With our recent development of a method for growing graphene on silver, we can now exploit the best attributes of both graphene and silver at the same time.”

Graphene, in case you didn’t know, is simply a one atom thick layer of carbon, featuring numerous remarkable properties which can be used in electronics and not only. Despite being incredibly light, in a way it’s the world’s most powerful material; it’s already making a mark with some practical applications (graphene earbuds, graphene radio, explosive detector, etc), and in the not-so-distant future, it will probably revolutionize transistors and even computer chips. But even so, we have just barely scratched the surface of what this material is capable of doing.

Growing graphene on silver

photo credit: Argonne National Laboratory
photo credit: Argonne National Laboratory

Typically, graphene is grown on a metal surface by catalytically decomposing hydrocarbons at elevated temperatures – but this method is not really suitable for silver, because silver substrates have a relatively low melting point and are chemically inert.

Using a graphite carbon source, the Northwestern and Argonne researchers were able to grow graphene by depositing atomic carbon, rather than a carbon-based molecular precursor, onto the silver substrate. This growth meant that chemical reactivity was no longer required, and the graphene was developed at lower temperatures.

“Graphene growth and transfer to a variety of substrates has allowed graphene to transform countless scientific fields,” said Brian Kiraly, a Northwestern graduate student in materials science and engineering who worked on the research with Hersam and Nathan Guisinger, a staff scientist at Argonne.

“However, conventional techniques lead to contamination issues and are not compatible with the ultra-clean vacuum environments required for the growth of the latest 2-D materials,” he said. “By growing graphene directly on silver under vacuum, we provide an atomically pristine surface for advanced graphene-based technologies.”

They were also surprised to report another discovery – the graphene they grew was electronically decoupled from the underlying silver substrate, something which was never before reported on any other metal, making this graphene-silver coupling even more promising.

Journal Reference:

Brian Kiraly, Erin V. Iski, Andrew J. Mannix, Brandon L. Fisher, Mark C. Hersam & Nathan P. Guisinger. Solid-source growth and atomic-scale characterization of graphene on Ag(111). Nature Communications 4, Article number: 2804 doi:10.1038/ncomms3804

RelatedPosts

First computer made out of carbon nanotubes spells silicon demise in electronics
World’s smallest radio shows graphene advantage
Graphene in clothes can stop mosquitoes, study finds
Defect in graphene opens up even more possibilities
Tags: graphenesilver

ShareTweetShare
Mihai Andrei

Mihai Andrei

Dr. Andrei Mihai is a geophysicist and founder of ZME Science. He has a Ph.D. in geophysics and archaeology and has completed courses from prestigious universities (with programs ranging from climate and astronomy to chemistry and geology). He is passionate about making research more accessible to everyone and communicating news and features to a broad audience.

Related Posts

Chemistry

Scientists make diamonds from scratch in only 15 minutes

byTibi Puiu
1 year ago
The graphene tattoo patch that can treat cardiac arrhythmia.
Biology

This graphene tattoo shows promise as a treatment for cardiac arrhythmia

byRupendra Brahambhatt
2 years ago
Anatomy News

Researchers develop scaffold implant that mimics the spinal cord

byRupendra Brahambhatt
3 years ago
Biology

Silver nanoparticles change shape and get ‘consumed’ when destroying bacteria

byAlexandru Micu
4 years ago

Recent news

Tennis May Add Nearly 10 Years to Your Life and Most People Are Ignoring It

July 4, 2025

Humans Have Been Reshaping Earth with Fire for at Least 50,000 Years

July 4, 2025

The Strangest Microbe Ever Found Straddles The Line Between Life and Non-Life

July 4, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.