Simultaneous synthesis and deposition of nitrogen doped graphene nanocoating by cathodic electrolytic plasma

The production of nitrogen-doped graphene coating usually requires two or three time-consuming processes of graphene synthesis, nitrogen doping and deposition on substrate. In this study, nitrogen doped-turbostratic graphene-based material was synthesized and deposited on Nickel substrate by the cathodic plasma electrolysis process in one-step. The addition of urea, as nitrogen precursor, to ethanol electrolyte causes nitrogen doping of graphene structure and graphene formation by electrolytic plasma simultaneously. This process was carried out at the atmospheric pressure, under 800 V voltage within a very short time of one minute. The glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy showed the presence of nitrogen in coating. Also, studying the 2D band intensity and position at Raman spectrum confirmed the presence of multi-layer graphene nano-sheets. The 9cm-1 increase of G-band position at Raman spectrum, by addition of urea to electrolyte, confirmed the concentration of 1.4% nitrogen in coating. Thus, the cathodic plasma electrolysis can be a facile one-step method for the simultaneously production and doping of graphene nano-sheets coating on Ni surfaces.