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Download fileApplication of Soxhlet Extractor for Ultra-clean Graphene Transfer
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posted on 2022-02-17, 14:06 authored by Olubunmi
O. Ayodele, Sajedeh Pourianejad, Anthony Trofe, Aleksandrs Prokofjevs, Tetyana IgnatovaSurface contamination
experienced during polymer-assisted transfer
is detrimental for optical and electrical properties of 2D materials.
This contamination is usually due to incomplete polymer removal and
also due to impurities present in organic solvents. Here, we report
a simple, economical, and highly efficient approach for obtaining
pristine graphene on a suitable substrate (e.g., SiO2/Si)
by utilizing Soxhlet extraction apparatus for delicate removal of
the polymer with a freshly distilled ultrapure solvent (acetone) in
a continuous fashion. Excellent structural and morphological qualities
of the material thus produced were confirmed using optical microscopy,
atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy.
Compared to the conventional protocol, graphene produced by the current
approach has a lower residual polymer content, leading to a root mean
square roughness of only 1.26 nm. The amount of strain and doping
was found to be similar, but the D-band, which is indicative of the
defects, was less pronounced in the samples prepared by Soxhlet-assisted
transfer. The new procedure is virtually effortless from the experimental
point of view, utilizes much less solvent compared to the conventional
washing procedure, and allows for easy scale-up. Extension of this
process to other 2D materials would not only provide samples with
superior intrinsic properties but also enhance their suitability for
advanced technological applications.
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scanning electron microscopyg ., sioatomic force microscopyadvanced technological applicationssuperior intrinsic propertiesobtaining pristine graphenematerial thus producedhighly efficient approachconventional washing procedure2d materials wouldincomplete polymer removalgraphene produced2d materialsnew procedureelectrical propertiesdelicate removalcurrent approachconventional protocolvirtually effortlessusually duesuitable substratesamples preparedraman spectroscopyprovide samplesorganic solventsmorphological qualitiesless pronouncedimpurities presentexperimental pointexcellent structuraleasy scalecontinuous fashionassisted transferalso enhancealso due26 nm