Controlled Growth of Carbon Nanotubes and Highly Ordered Graphene on the Pt(111) Surface Using Fluorofullerene Molecules

The possibility of using fluorofullerene C\({}_{60}\)F\({}_{48}\) for the controlled growth of carbon nanotubes and domains of highly ordered graphene, stimulated by intermediate fluorination of the platinum catalyst surface, has been demonstrated. To ensure facile detachment of fluorine atoms from the carbon framework on the Pt(111) surface, the C\({}_{60}\)F\({}_{48}\) molecule was selected. It is shown that fluorofullerene molecules decompose on the Pt(111) surface, losing fluorine atoms already at room temperature. High-temperature pyrolysis promotes fluorination of the Pt(111) surface and binding of amorphous carbon, inducing sequential growth of carbon nanotubes and graphene with increasing temperature.