Development of an ultra-thin film comprised of a graphene membrane and carbon nanotube vein support
ARTICLE
Received 26 Jul 2013 | Accepted 13 Nov 2013 | Published 20 Dec 2013
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3920
Development of an ultra-thin film comprised of a graphene membrane and carbon nanotube vein support
Xiaoyang Lin1,2, Peng Liu1,2, Yang Wei1,2, Qunqing Li1,2, Jiaping Wang1,2, Yang Wu1,2, Chen Feng1,2, Lina Zhang1,2,
Shoushan Fan1,2 & Kaili Jiang1,2
Graphene, exhibiting superior mechanical, thermal, optical and electronic properties, has attracted great interest. Considering it being one-atom-thick, and the reduced mechanical strength at grain boundaries, the fabrication of large-area suspended chemical vapour deposition graphene remains a challenge. Here we report the fabrication of an ultra-thin freestanding carbon nanotube/graphene hybrid film, inspired by the vein–membrane structure found in nature. Such a square-centimetre-sized hybrid film can realize the overlaying of large-area single-layer chemical vapour deposition graphene on to a porous vein-like carbon nanotube network. The vein–membrane-like hybrid film, with graphene suspended on the carbon nanotube meshes, possesses excellent mechanical performance, optical transparency and good electrical conductivity. The ultra-thin hybrid film features an electron transparency close to 90%, which makes it an ideal gate electrode in vacuum electronics and a highperformance sample support in transmission electron microscopy.
1 State
Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Quantum Physics, Department of Physics and Tsinghua-Foxconn Nanotechnology Research Center, Tsinghua
University, Beijing 100084, China. 2 Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter, Beijing 100084, China. Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to P.L. (email: pengliu@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn) or to K.J. (email: JiangKL@tsinghua.edu.cn).
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS | 4:2920 | DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3920 | www.nature.com/naturecommunications
& 2013 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.
1
Received 26 Jul 2013 | Accepted 13 Nov 2013 | Published 20 Dec 2013
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3920
Development of an ultra-thin film comprised of a graphene membrane and carbon nanotube vein support
Xiaoyang Lin1,2, Peng Liu1,2, Yang Wei1,2, Qunqing Li1,2, Jiaping Wang1,2, Yang Wu1,2, Chen Feng1,2, Lina Zhang1,2,
Shoushan Fan1,2 & Kaili Jiang1,2
Graphene, exhibiting superior mechanical, thermal, optical and electronic properties, has attracted great interest. Considering it being one-atom-thick, and the reduced mechanical strength at grain boundaries, the fabrication of large-area suspended chemical vapour deposition graphene remains a challenge. Here we report the fabrication of an ultra-thin freestanding carbon nanotube/graphene hybrid film, inspired by the vein–membrane structure found in nature. Such a square-centimetre-sized hybrid film can realize the overlaying of large-area single-layer chemical vapour deposition graphene on to a porous vein-like carbon nanotube network. The vein–membrane-like hybrid film, with graphene suspended on the carbon nanotube meshes, possesses excellent mechanical performance, optical transparency and good electrical conductivity. The ultra-thin hybrid film features an electron transparency close to 90%, which makes it an ideal gate electrode in vacuum electronics and a highperformance sample support in transmission electron microscopy.
1 State
Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Quantum Physics, Department of Physics and Tsinghua-Foxconn Nanotechnology Research Center, Tsinghua
University, Beijing 100084, China. 2 Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter, Beijing 100084, China. Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to P.L. (email: pengliu@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn) or to K.J. (email: JiangKL@tsinghua.edu.cn).
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS | 4:2920 | DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3920 | www.nature.com/naturecommunications
& 2013 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.
1
References: 1. Meyer, J. C. et al. The structure of suspended graphene sheets. Nature 446, 60–63 (2007). Science 306, 666–669 (2004). (2005). Phys. Lett. 86, 073104 (2005). 7. Geim, A. K. Graphene: status and prospects. Science 324, 1530–1534 (2009). Nat. Mater. 6, 770–775 (2007). 13. Nervi, P. L. & Desideri, P. Pier Luigi Nervi (Zanichelli, 1979). J. SEWC 1, 5–11 (2010). (2010). 246103 (2012). 24. Hamilton, J. J. Reflex Klystrons 13–15 (Chapman & Hall, 1958). 3, 1113–1121 (1970). 27. Van der Bijl, H. J. The Thermionic Vacuum Tube And Its Applications 227–234 (McGraw-Hill book company, Inc., 1920). 28. Shaw, J. & Itoh, J. Vacuum Microelectronics (ed. Zhu, W.) 188 (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2001). quality. Carbon 50, 4203–4208 (2012). R. Soc. A 119, 173–181 (1928). Biol. 174, 234–238 (2011). 36. Lin, Y. et al. Graphene annealing: how clean can it be? Nano Lett. 12, 414–419 (2011). (2008). (2011).