Direct low-temperature synthesis of graphene on various glasses by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition for versatile, cost-effective electrodes

Abstract

Catalyst-free and scalable synthesis of graphene on various glass substrates at low temperatures is of paramount significance to numerous applications such as low-cost transparent electronics and state-of-the-art displays. However, systematic study within this promising research field has remained scarce thus far. Herein, we report the direct growth of graphene on various glasses using a low-temperature plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition method. Such a facile and scalable approach guarantees the growth of uniform, transfer-free graphene films on various glass substrates at a growth temperature range of 400–600 °C. The morphological, surface wetting, optical, and electrical properties of the obtained graphene can be tailored by controlling the growth parameters. Our uniform and high-quality graphene films directly integrated with low-cost, commonly used glasses show great potential in the fabrication of multi-functional electrodes for versatile applications in solar cells, transparent electronics, and smart windows.