Two-step method preparation of graphene without hydrogen on methanol pretreatment copper substrate by PECVD at low temperature

Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) is one effective method to prepare graphene at low temperature in a short time. However, the low temperature in PECVD could not provide substrate a proper state for large area and few layer graphene preparation. Herein, we propose a two-step method to grow graphene on Cu foils. In the first step, in order to acquire a smooth and oxide-free surface state, methanol was used as a reductant to pretreat Cu. In the second step, graphene films were prepared on Cu foils by PECVD using CH4 as carbon source with H2-free. Few-layer graphene sheets with diameter about 1 μm under low temperature (700 °C) and at a short time (10 min) on well pretreated Cu foils were successfully gotten. The effect of methanol pretreatment on graphene synthesis and the graphene growth mechanism on Cu substrate by PECVD are analyzed comprehensively.