Optimization of CVD parameters on 3D graphene foam structures with response surface methodology (RSM)

Abstract

Chemical vapour deposition (CVD) is one of the common methods to obtain high quality graphene structures with micro/macro pore sizes and large surface area. Finding the optimum growth parameters to produce high quality graphene structures is often difficult and time consuming. In this study, foam like three dimensional (F-3D) graphene structures were obtained by CVD to find the optimum growth parameters and the effects of the these parameters on the specific surface area of the F-3D graphene structures were analysed in details using response surface methodology (RSM) approach based on the central composite design. Additionally, surface characterization of 3D graphene structures were performed with Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the specific surface area of graphene foam measured with BET technique was found 870 m2 g−1, under the optimum growth parameters. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) results showed that the applied model was statistically significant to obtain high F (88.46) and very low P (<0.0001) values. Mathematical equation was created for the optimized growth parameters after reviewing the results of ANOVA.