Graphene produced by carbon diffusion through nickel foil

This paper presents results of obtaining graphene and few-layer graphene nanostructures by unconventional method consisting in the diffusion of carbon through a thin nickel foil. The production of graphene and few-layer graphene nanostructures by the diffusion method was carried out under high vacuum conditions, with resistive heating of nickel. The growing method presented by us makes it possible to control the process of graphene formation by changing parameters such as: temperature, time and thickness of nickel. Data on the time dependence of the diffusion process on the nickel thickness and temperature are given. From the obtained experimental data was found the parameters determining the diffusion dynamics: Eɑ - the activation energy and concentration diffusion coefficient. The obtained samples were investigated by optical and electron microscopy, as well as by Raman spectroscopy. The experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical Arrhenius relation, which confirms the diffusion nature of the process.