Controlled growth of crystalline g-C3N4 nanocone arrays by plasma sputtering reaction deposition

• Published in: Carbon (New York) Vol. 79; pp. 578 - 589
• Main Authors: Guan, Leilei, Xu, Ning, Liu, Xujun, Zhao, Yu, Li, Hui, Sun, Jian, Wu, Jiada, Ying, Zhifeng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-11-2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Chemistry; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Deposition by sputtering; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Photoluminescence; Physics; Solid-liquid interface; Surface physical chemistry; Surface treatments; Methane; Plasma; Wetting; Growth; Graphite structure; Ion beam sputtering; Sputtering; Nanocone; Growth mechanism; Ion beam etching; Nickel; Carbon nitrides; Silicon; Sputter deposition; Microstructure; Arrays
• ISSN: 0008-6223; 1873-3891
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2014.08.019

Vertically and neatly arranged crystalline graphitic C3N4 (g-C3N4) nanocone arrays were firstly synthesized on nickel-covered silicon (100) substrates supported on a graphite frame. Synthesis was accomplished using an abnormal glow discharge plasma sputtering reaction deposition method with a feed gas mixture of CH4, N2 and H2. The experimental results show that the morphologies, structures, composition and photoluminescence of the grown nanostructures strongly depend on the CH4/(N2+H2) ratios (0–1/10). The hexagonal g-C3N4 nanocone arrays were well grown at a CH4/(N2+H2) ratio of around 1/150 as a result of the hydrogen ion sputtering of the graphite frame to generate a lot of carbon atoms, the hydrogen ion etching on the growing graphite structures, and the reaction between the active nitrogen atoms and the sputtered carbon atoms. The g-C3N4 nanocone arrays have the characteristic photoluminescence-peak of g-C3N4 and very nice wettability to the polymer absorber layers. At the higher or lower CH4/(N2+H2) ratios, the silicon or diamond nanocone arrays were grown respectively due to the ion-sputtering of the silicon substrate and the inhibition of CHn-radicals on the H+-sputtering of the graphite frame or the mismatch between the sputtered carbon atoms and the dissociated nitrogen atoms.