Electrospray as a suitable technique for manufacturing carbon-based devices

Abstract

We demonstrate here that electrospray is a technique suitable for deposition carbon-based materials. It is versatile enough to be used with graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and carbon nanofibers (CNF), obtained by chemical methods. A detailed analysis of the effects of the dispersion properties and the main process parameters (voltage and flow rate) on the deposits quality is presented. Rigid and flexible substrates have been coated with good geometry control under ambient conditions. Thickness of GO films onto silicon substrates, optical transmittance of rGO onto fluoride doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrate and electrical resistance of both, rGO and CNF films onto flexible polyamide have been correlated with deposition time. As an example of application, the manufacture of carbon nanofibers gas sensing devices deposited onto a ceramic platform and flexible polyimide by means of electrospray technique are shown.