Three dimensional graphene synthesis on nickel foam by chemical vapor deposition from ethylene

• 3D multi-layers graphene networks were synthesized from ethylene on nickel foam.
• The weight of graphene increased with run duration and when decreasing temperature.
• Weight percentages of graphene as high as 15% were obtained.
• A continuous mechanism of graphene formation probably exists in presence of ethylene.

3D multi-layers graphene networks were synthesized on nickel foam from ethylene between 700 and 1000 °C by chemical vapor deposition. Large nickel foam substrates were used allowing the accurate measurement of graphene masses. The weight of graphene increased with run duration and when decreasing temperature. Graphene was also present inside the hollow branches of the foam. We demonstrated that the weights of graphene formed largely exceed the masses corresponding to carbon solubility into nickel. Indeed weight percentages of graphene as high as 15% were obtained, corresponding to graphene layers of 500 nm to 1 μm thick. This means that graphene formation could not be due only to carbon dissolution into nickel and then precipitation during the cooling step. Another mechanism probably co-exists, involving continuous graphene formation in presence of ethylene either by segregation from the dissolved carbon into nickel or by surface CVD growth.