Large area deposition of graphene on substrates, and products including the same

• US 8,808,810 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2009
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Guardian Industries Corporation (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Veerasamy, Vijayen S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Meeks, Timothy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Michael P
• Application Number:
  US12/654,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20110143045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,708 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 427/508
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/188 by epitaxial growth
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/194 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/24 Nanoplates, i.e. plate-like particles with a thickness from 1-100 nanometer
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/28 with organic material C03C17/34, C03C17/44 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/42 at least one coating of an organic material and at least one non-metal coating

Abstract

Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to the use of graphene as a transparent conductive coating (TCC). A substrate having a surface to be coated is provided. A self-assembled monolayer (SAM) template is disposed on the surface to be coated. A precursor comprising a precursor molecule is provided, with the precursor molecule being a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and discotic molecule. The precursor is dissolved to form a solution. The solution is applied to the substrate having the SAM template disposed thereon. The precursor molecule is photochemically attached to the SAM template. The substrate is heated to at least 450 degrees C. to form a graphene-inclusive film. Advantageously, the graphene-inclusive film may be provided directly on the substrate, e.g., without the need for a liftoff process.

Claims

1. A method of making a coated article, the method comprising:

providing a substrate having a surface to be coated;

disposing a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) template on the surface to be coated;

applying a solution to the substrate having the SAM template disposed thereon, the solution comprising a precursor including a precursor molecule, the precursor molecule being a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecule;

attaching the precursor molecule to the SAM template by irradiating UV energy thereon; and

heating the substrate using at least first and second temperature ramp rates, in that order, to form a graphene-inclusive film, the first and second temperature ramp rates being different from one another,

wherein the SAM template and/or the precursor molecule comprise(s) one or more alkyl groups to help ensure that the c-axis of precursor molecule is substantially perpendicular to the substrate prior to and/or following the photochemical attaching, and

wherein the first ramp rate ramps from room temperature to just over 400 degrees C. and the second rate ramps from a temperature at the end of the first ramp to as high as about 800 degrees C., the second ramp rate being greater than the first ramp rate.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a layer comprising silicon oxide on the surface to be coated prior to the disposing of the SAM template.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the SAM template is a silane-benzophenone derivative.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the precursor molecule is C96 and/or HBC.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said heating is performed in a vacuum.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said heating is performed in an environment comprising inert gas.

7. A method of making an electronic device, the method comprising:

providing a substrate having a surface to be coated;

disposing a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) template on the surface to be coated;

applying a solution to the substrate having the SAM template disposed thereon, the solution comprising a precursor including a precursor molecule and being column-chromatography purified, the precursor molecule being a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecule;

attaching the precursor molecule to the SAM template by irradiating UV energy thereon;

heating the substrate to at least 450 degrees C. to form a graphene-inclusive film, wherein the heating is performed at a first ramp rate until a temperature of just over 400 degrees C. is reached, and then the heating is performed at a second ramp rate that is higher than the first ramp rate; and

building the substrate with the graphene-inclusive film into the electronic device,

wherein the SAM template and/or the precursor molecule comprise(s) one or more alkyl groups to help ensure that the c-axis of precursor molecule is substantially perpendicular to the substrate prior to and/or following the photochemical attaching.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the heating is performed at the second ramp rate until a temperature of no more than 800 degrees C. is reached.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said heating is performed in a vacuum environment comprising inert gas and acetylene gas.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the acetylene gas is used in repairing incidental damage to the graphene-inclusive film.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the first ramp rate ramps from room temperature to the temperature of just over 400 degrees C. and the second ramp rate ramps from the temperature of just over 400 degrees C. to as high as about 800 degrees C., the second ramp rate being greater than the first ramp rate.