Fabrication of electrochemically stable fluorinated nano-carbon film compared with other fluorinated carbon materials

Abstract

We fabricated electrochemically stable fluorinated nano-carbon film that had an sp 2 and sp 3 hybrid nanocrystalline structure formed using the electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) sputtering method. This fluorinated ECR (F-ECR) nano-carbon film prepared with a short CF 4 plasma treatment has a high fluorine content (F/C:0.20) and a low oxygen content (O/C:0.02) on its surface and retains its original morphology. This F-ECR nano-carbon is capable of a lower capacitance current, and a wider potential window than untreated ECR nano-carbon. The electron transfer rates at an F-ECR electrode are as high as those of untreated carbons for Ru ( NH 3 ) 6 2 + / 3 + , whereas they are much slower than those of untreated ECR nano-carbon for Fe 2+/3+ and Fe ( CN ) 6 3 - / 4 - owing to its selective sp 2 fluorination. These slow electron transfer rates for Fe 2+/3+ and Fe ( CN ) 6 3 - / 4 - are maintained during potential cycles due to its robust nanocrystalline structure. In contrast, these slow electron transfer rates were easily recovered for fluorinated glassy carbon under same condition. Furthermore, a smaller fluorination effect was observed for polycrystalline boron-doped diamond owing to the low reactivity of its sp 3 bonds. Our ECR nano-carbon film is suitable for the effective fabrication of a fluorinated surface while maintaining a relatively active electrochemical interface and excellent stability.