A simple synthesis of sulfur-doped graphene using sulfur powder by chemical vapor deposition

Abstract

We wish to report the growth of S-doped graphene (SG) with high sulfur content (5 at%, determined by XPS) using chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The nano-sized Fe/CaCO₃ was employed as a catalyst, flow rate-controlled acetylene gas was introduced into the CVD furnace as a carbon resource and the solid sulfur powder was placed in the first zone of CVD as a sulfur resource. The structures, sizes and specifications of the prepared SGs were determined and confirmed by field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy, elemental mapping, powder X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses. The surface area and porosity of SG were obtained via a low-temperature N₂ physisorption. The presented method could be employed as an efficient, fast and cheap technique for the preparation of SG.