Graphene manufacturing system and the method thereof

Abstract

The present invention discloses a graphene manufacturing system and the method thereof. In the prior arts, in order to grow graphene layers, a metal foil or thin film has to be prepared and disposed either on the surface or in the vicinity of the of the work piece so as to catalyze the decomposition of carbon feedstock nearby. In contrast, the present invention uses a fluid which contains catalyst metal ions as the source of catalysts and imports the catalytic particles from outside of the working chamber. The metal particles catalyze the decomposition of carbon feedstock at high temperature and cause the direct growth of graphene layers on insulator substrates. Therefore, the present invention is able to use cost-effective materials as the source of catalysts to grow graphene for practical applications.

1 . A graphene manufacturing system for growing graphene layers on an insulated surface of a work piece, comprising:
 a furnace body having a working chamber for holding the work piece;   a catalyst source, configured in the outside of the furnace body, the catalyst source is connected with the working chamber for providing the working chamber with gasiform catalyst containing a transition metal element;   a hydrogen source, connected with the working chamber for providing the working chamber with hydrogen; and   a carbon feedstock source, connected with the working chamber for providing the working chamber with gasiform carbon feedstock;   wherein, the catalyst source can react with the carbon feedstock and the hydrogen so as to catalyze the decomposition of the carbon feedstock for generating a plurality of carbon atoms, and the plurality of carbon atoms form the graphene layers directly on the insulated substrates of the work piece.   
     
     
         2 . The graphene manufacturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the catalyst comprises a gasiform carrier and a catalytic particle solution. 
     
     
         3 . The graphene manufacturing system of  claim 2 , wherein the catalyst source comprises an inlet end, an outlet end and a liquid container, the inlet end is connected with a gas source, the liquid container is configured between the inlet end and the outlet end for containing the catalytic particle solution, the outlet end is connected with the working chamber, wherein, the gas source imports the gasiform carrier through the inlet end for making the gasiform carrier pass through the liquid container so that the gasiform carrier can carry parts of the catalytic particle solution to form the catalyst, and the catalyst is supplied to the working chamber through the outlet end. 
     
     
         4 . The graphene manufacturing system of  claim 2 , wherein the gasiform carrier is argon or helium, the catalyst comprises a gasiform transition metal element, the transition metal element is iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc or iridium; and the work piece is made of silica, quartz, sapphire, glass, NaCl, silicon nitride, alumina or the combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The graphene manufacturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the furnace body further comprises a warming device for warming the interior of the working chamber to a predetermined temperature, the predetermined temperature is between 200 degrees and 1,200 degrees centigrade. 
     
     
         6 . The graphene manufacturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the furnace body further comprises a mixing chamber, the mixing chamber is configured among the catalyst source, the hydrogen source, the carbon feedstock source and the working chamber, the mixing chamber is used for mixing the carbon feedstock, the hydrogen and the catalyst before entering the working chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The graphene manufacturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the work piece is processed in advance by a plasma treatment; the plasma treatment is performed by a plasma having oxygen or argon. 
     
     
         8 . The graphene manufacturing system of  claim 1 , wherein carbon seeds are configured on the insulated surface of the work piece. 
     
     
         9 . A method for manufacturing graphene, applied to grow graphene layers on an insulated surface of a work piece, comprising the following steps of:
 preparing a work piece;   preparing a catalyst having a gasiform transition metal element;   preparing a carbon feedstock;   preparing hydrogen;   mixing the carbon feedstock, the hydrogen and the catalyst over the work piece, the flow rate of the catalyst is between 4 sccm and 1,200 sccm; and   warming the carbon feedstock, the hydrogen and the catalyst to the temperature between 200 degrees and 1,200 degrees centigrade, and maintaining the pressure inside the chamber between 1 mTorr and 800 Torr to make the catalyst source react with the carbon feedstock and the hydrogen so as to catalyze the decomposition of carbon feedstock to generate a plurality of carbon atoms, and the plurality of carbon atoms form the graphene layers directly on the insulated substrates of the work piece.   
     
     
         10 . The method for manufacturing graphene of  claim 9 , wherein the step of preparing a catalyst further comprises the following substeps:
 preparing a catalytic particle solution;   preparing a gasiform carrier; and   making the gasiform carrier pass through the catalytic particle solution and carry parts of the catalytic particle solution to form the catalyst.