This is an online course provided by University of Manchester through Coursera.org (the online education website providing courses from the best universities around the world).
This was an 8 week course starting from February 1, 2016 to March 27, 2016. The Course Instructor was Dr. Aravind Vijayaraghavan, from School of Materials, University of Manchester. This course provides an overview of the 2-dimensional materials, including Graphene. how they are produced, characterization techniques, their unique and superlative properties, and the range of potential applications.
The topics covered during this course are as below:
1. Introduction
It explains the history of graphene, its atomic structure and stacking, difference between 0D (buckyballs), 1D (carbon nanotubes) and 2D (graphene) materials, stability of 2-dimentional graphene, graphene virtual microscope (android and iOS software to view graphene under microscope), Transmission Electron microscope (TEM) working and image of monolayer vs bilayer graphene, naturally occurring ripples on graphene surface which stabilizes graphene and finally properties of graphene (strength, transparency, surface area to volume ratio, etc.).
2. Production Methods
Production methods include, the highest quality most expensive micro-mechanical exfoliation, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), molecular assembly and lowest quality and least expensive liquid phase exfoliation. The properties of graphene produced from different methods and application. Modified Hummer's method for graphene oxide production. Choosing the correct illuminating light and substrate thickness (usually SiO2) to clearly see graphene flakes and other 2-dimensional materials under optical microscope, role of temperature and thickness of metals in determining the no. of graphene layers formed in a CVD process.
3. Electronic properties and devices
Electronic structure of carbon, s & p orbitals, hybridization and bonding of carbon carbon bond in different allotropes of carbon including graphene, real and reciprocal lattice parameters, graphene electronic band structure, valance and conduction band, energy spectrum and dirac point, electronic imaging of graphene sheet and ARPES system, first graphene electronic device and electronic properties associated with it, by layer graphene and devices, graphene nano ribbons and using graphene as switches.
4. Raman Spectroscopy
Basic principle of Raman Spectroscopy, instruments involved (monochromatic laser source, notch filter, mirror, CCD, and graphic visulization), phonon or quantum vibrational mechanical energy and contributing to the main Raman bands in graphene, Raman spectrum of pure graphene (prominant D, G and 2D peaks), origin of peaks, 2D peak in bi-layer graphene, identifying 1 LG, 2 LG and 3 LG through Raman shift in 2D peaks, effect of doping, substrate, defects and strain on the Raman spectroscopy of a graphene flake, Raman spectra of graphene derivatives and other 2-d materials.
5. Chemical properties and related applications
X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), basic principle involved (irradiating graphene with X-ray and affecting the core electrons of graphene resulting in electron emission), XPS of graphene oxide and reduced graphene, UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy and its affect on the valence band electrons resulting in electron emission, using these techniques to determine elements, chemical composition, and concentration in solution phase. Functionalization of 2-dimensional materials and reactivity differences, graphene hydrogels and aerogels, their application in energy storage and freeze drying. Graphene oxide liquid crystals and their application in displays, fibers. Graphene and other 2D gas and chemical sensors.
6. Mechanical properties and related applications
Nano indentation technique to measure mechanical properties of graphene flakes and related applications such as graphene resonators and effects of mass loading, temperature. Graphene electro-mechanical devices such as loud speakers and micro phones, graphene bubbles for separation techniques, graphene strain sensor.Types and methods of production of graphene-polymer composites.
7. Graphene membranes and coatings
Graphene oxide and reduced GO filter papers and their application as separation membranes. alcohol water separation, ion exclusion, gas separation. Graphene membranes as barriers to protect metal surface, rGO for non wettable bricks, DNA translocation, etc. Graphene electrodes in batteries and supercapacitors (fast charge and discharge mechanism).
8. Biomedical Graphene and 2-D Heterostructures
Bio-compatibility of graphene with bacterial cells, mammalian cells, bio-accumulation of graphene. Graphene scaffolds for tissue engineering and stem cells proliferation-differentiation, targeted drug and gene delivery, cancer therapy, chemotherapy, stem cell therapy, Fabrication of heterostructures of graphene and application such as hBN/Graphene sandwiches, G/hBN Tunnelling transistor, WS2 tunnelling transistor, Light emitting quantum wells.