Thermal stability studies of CVD-grown graphene nanoribbons: Defect annealing and loop formation

• DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2008.12.082
• Publication Date: 2008-12-31T04:16:30Z
• Authors: J. Campos-Delgado; Y.A. Kim; T. Hayashi; A. Morelos-Gómez; M. Hofmann; H. Muramatsu; M. Endo; H. Terrones; R.D. Shull; M.S. Dresselhaus; M. Terrones
• Keywords: Thermal Stability; Annihilation

We present a high temperature heat treatment study of CVD-grown graphene nanoribbons annealed up to 2800 °C, demonstrating a progressive annihilation of lattice defects as the heat treatment temperature is raised. Starting at 1500 °C, single and multiple loop formation were observed on the ribbons edges as the temperature was increased. The structural changes of the samples are documented by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, TGA, SEM, and HRTEM. This work indicates that nanoribbon annealing eventually leads to defect-free samples, through graphitization and edge loop formation. The annealed material exhibits structural differences that could be tailored for a variety of specific applications.