Mechanically exfoliating graphite onto a substrate provides a family of layered materials with adjustable thickness, including monolayer graphene, few-layer graphene (FLG), and graphite. In this work, we investigated the Fe-catalyzed etching of graphene, FLG, and graphitein forming gas (10% H2/90% N2) or N2 using low-voltage scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Fe thin films were deposited by sputtering onto mechanically exfoliated graphene, FLG, and graphite flakes on a Si/SiO2 substrate. When the sample is rapidly annealed in either gas environment, particles are produced due to the dewetting of the Fe thin film and expected to catalyze the etching of graphene, FLG, and graphite. The combined microscopic and spectroscopic evidence reveals a thickness-dependent, catalytic etching behavior in these two gas environments and provides insights into the catalytic mechanisms involving carbon hydrogenation and carbon dissolution.

Fe-catalyzed etching of graphene, few-layer graphene, and graphite

248th National Meeting (2014)

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