Challenge to create catalytic tool without any metallic elements

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K18808
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 18:Mechanics of materials, production engineering, design engineering, and related fields
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Arima Kenta 大阪大学, 工学研究科, 准教授 (10324807)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-06-29 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: ナノグラフェン / 触媒 / 表面加工 / 半導体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to develop a novel method of surface creation and reveal its machining properties. In our scheme, we used a nanographene-based catalyst that did not contain any metal elements. First, different types of reduced graphene sheets were synthesized using a commercially available graphene oxide solution as a starting material. After analyzing the structures of these graphene sheets on an atomic scale, they were dispersed on a semiconductor surface, which were followed by the immersion into an etching solution. And the etching properties of the semiconductor surface under the loaded graphene sheets were investigated. Then we combined a catalytic film composed of the graphene sheets with a lithography technique, and developed a fabrication process to form a trench pattern on a semiconductor surface. Finally, we evaluated the machining performance of our proposed method.

Free Research Field

表面工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまで固体表面は、工具等に代表される金属を用いた機械的な作用により加工されてきた。これに対して本研究では、カーボン（C）系の新材料が持つ化学的な触媒活性に着目し、半導体表面を自在に加工することを目指している。
本研究は、加工面における機械的なダメージや、金属汚染を除去するための高濃度薬液による後処理が不要な、新しい低損傷・省資源型の加工法になると共に、ナノ物質科学や生産工学分野に大きなインパクトを与えると期待される。