GRAPHENE

The Graphene research line aims to develop new materials in ultrathin structures of few monoatomic layers with extreme surface properties (very high wear resistance, ultra low friction and surface energy, extreme chemical resistance, biocompatibility) for applications in biotechnology and biomedicine.

• A new generation of ultrathin layers based in graphene with crystalline domains of enough size to transfer its extreme properties to macroscopic surfaces.
• The growth of ultrathin epitaxial layers of graphene, with a useful area having the dimensions of macroscopic devices with a mechanical functionality as used in biotechnology and biomedicine.
• The production of multilayer graphene/Ti systems showing high functional stability and unique mechanical and tribological characteristics.

The above objectives require the epitaxial growth of graphene on monocrystalline substrates from precursors based in carbon hydrides (CH₄, C₂H₂), and using high temperatures and conditions of very high purity. Among the technologies recently proposed we emphasize the based on processes at high temperatures (sublimation of silicon in c-SiC and chemical vapor deposition, CVD, of graphene/Cu/c-Si), and the based on processes at low temperature (transference of graphene atomic monolayers, graphite oxidation). These technologies share some strategies and common problems; in particular, the crucial role of the interface graphene/substrate and its effect on the dimensions of the monocrystalline domain of graphene.

To this regard, we are taken advantage of the engineering, exploring in detail the technology of production of graphene by CVD, PECVD and other variants on metallic substrate, to make fundamental progression of the graphene growth technology and in the comprehension of the control of the growth kinetics, monolayer discontinuities and the formation of Gr/Me multilayers, to explore the occurrence of novel materials or unique functional properties, with particular emphasis on the graphene growth on titanium.