Large-scale manufacturing of graphene-based devices

Abstract

Graphene has shown great promise since its isolation in 2003; demonstrating amazing electrical and mechanical properties that could enable a wide range of cheap, flexible, and biocompatible electronic devices. Many graphene-based devices have already been successfully fabricated and characterized including capacitors, transistors and various sensors. However, the major challenge facing wide-spread adoption of graphene is scaleability. While advances in chemical vapor deposition have enabled the creation of quality graphene at larger scales than mechanical exfoliation, this graphene is still difficult and expensive to transfer and pattern over large areas. This work explores ways of large-scale graphene production and patterning from graphene oxide and polyimide precursors. These precursors can be coated directly on materials and then patterned with a laser, or they can be prepared as inks to be used in 3D printing technologies. Large-area devices including strain sensors, wires and capacitors were fabricated and found to have good electrical characteristics. A 3D printing system was also constructed and used to directly print graphene-based devices.