I-Corps: System for synthesis of protective graphene coatings

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The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project lies in the broad field of synthesis and application of protective coatings. One specific commercial application is synthesis of anti-corrosive coatings on variety of substrate materials. Owing to the unique intrinsic properties of graphene, the system enables lower coating cost and faster synthesis times. These protective coatings are utilized in multiple industries including aerospace, automotive, and oil and gas. This project will explore the commercial potential of the core technology and will inform further technical developments and possible commercialization paths and will create new research and commercialization thrusts in the overall field of plasma nanoscience.This I-Corps project is focused on advancing the innovative approach of Radio Frequency plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) technique for synthesis the large quantities of graphene coatings on various substrate materials. Recent research advances indicate that graphene can be effectively generated in the plasma discharge environment. Plasma CVD synthesis has been shown to be effective in the production of monolayer and several-layer sheets of crystalline films of graphene characterized by high quality and low structural defects. In addition, utilization of plasma flux at synthesis enhances mobility and reactivity of the species participating in the synthesis process on the substrate's surface in comparison with that when atomic flux is used. This enables synthesis at lower temperatures and widens range of substrate materials that can be used in the synthesis.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.