In Situ Graphene Synthesis Study in Inductively Coupled Radiofrequency Thermal Plasma Reactor Using Methane Precursor

While numerous studies are available on methane pyrolysis chemical kinetics and the effect of plasma parameters on graphene synthesis, a comprehensive understanding of the formation mechanism remains elusive without in situ analysis. This study aims to utilize a sampling probe for the first time to collect graphene locally on transmission electron microscopy grids and perform a localized sampling and analysis of the gas composition (during graphene synthesis) using mass spectrometry. This technique provides a 3D tracking of methane pyrolysis in radiofrequency inductively coupled thermal plasma reactor for graphene production. Response surface methodology based on central composite design is employed to obtain a 3D visualization of the synthesis process. Quadratic and cubic models are developed, followed by comprehensive analysis of variance. A comparison of the gas-phase chemistry resulting from the in situ measurements with thermodynamic equilibrium calculations reveals that the process is controlled by thermochemical kinetics. H₂, C₂H₂, C₂H₄, C₃H_6, and C₆H_6, as well as residual CH₄, are the main hydrocarbons found in the graphene nucleation zone. The primary pathway for methane pyrolysis and graphene formation in RF plasma is through H₂ and C₂ hydrocarbons, while graphene nucleation and growth reactions are terminated 350 mm from the plasma torch nozzle exit. Morphology, quality, mean particle size, and the number of layers of the produced graphene samples, locally collected at different locations by 3D axisymmetric probe scanning, were investigated using TEM, high-resolution TEM imaging, and Raman analysis. The gathered information is highly valuable for plasma reactor design.