Graphene, SiC and Si Nanostructures Synthesis During Quartz Pyrolysis in Arc‐Discharge Plasma

• Published in: Physica status solidi. A, Applications and materials science Vol. 216; no. 14
• Main Authors: Zaikovskii, Alexey V., Kardash, Tatiana Yu, Kolesov, Boris A., Nikolaeva, Olga A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.07.2019
• Subjects: Anodes; Arc spraying; arc‐discharge; Composite materials; Condensates; Electric arcs; Electrode materials; Graphene; Graphite; Nanoparticles; nanostructures; Pyrolysis; Quartz; Silicon; Silicon carbide; Silicon dioxide; silicon whiskers; Sputtering; Synthesis
• DOI: 10.1002/pssa.201900079
• ISSN: 1862-6300

Composites based on graphene and nanosized silicon have recently been of interest in various applications. This paper reports a new method of synthesising a graphene‐nano silicon composite material by spraying a mixture of quartz‐graphite using an electric arc. The structure and composition of the materials obtained depends on the synthesis conditions. The quality of the graphene structure depends on the concentration of quartz in the load. Higher SiO2 content leads to the production of more structured graphene. In this case, silicon is present in the materials in the form of carbide nanoparticles deposited on graphene planes. When sputtering pure quartz contained in the cavity of the graphite anode, silicon whiskers form during the synthesis process. The content of the silicon structure depends on the arc current and the sputtering rate of the anode material. The mechanisms that lead to the formation of the graphene structure and silicon whiskers in the condensation process of the products of the electric arc spraying of the anode material are considered. The article reveals phenomena of graphene, silicon carbide, and silicon whiskers formations during a quartz‐graphite mixture spraying by an arc‐discharge. The experimental conditions influence the materials produced. The higher concentration of quartz in the mixture leads to the quality improvement of the graphene structure. The rising of the arc current leads to the increase of the silicon structure content.