Room-temperature synthesis of graphene-like carbon sheets from C2H2, CO2 and CO on copper foil M. Hajian,a M. Zareie,b D. Hashemiana and M. Bahrami*ac aFaculty of Science, Isfahan University, PO Box 81746-73441, Isfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran. E-mail:
[email protected] bFaculty of Science, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, PO Box 98135-674, Zahedan, Islamic Republic of Iran cFaculty of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Tehran, PO Box 14178-63177, Tehran, Islamic Republic Iran selectivity of industrial catalysts. Many promoters are discov- Abstract ered serendipitously; but few are the result of systematic research. This sector of catalyst research is oen the scene of A high temperature for some catalytic reactions, like synthesis of large surprising discoveries.6 There are many examples that area and high quality graphene, is required. The mentioned graphene promoters are used for increasing of catalytic activity. The can be obtained by a chemical vapour deposition (CVD) process on ammonia synthesis is a well-known example. The promoter – o copper foil at 800 1000 C. Here, we describe a room-temperature potassium facilitates the dissociation of chemisorbed N2 on the ff fi synthesis method from di erent carbon sources for the rst time, iron and thus increases the rate of formation of NH3. The including acetylene, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, on copper strongly electropositive potassium provides electrons that ow foil by using a heuristic method, which was inspired from the role of to the metal and then in to the chemisorbed nitrogen mole- some electronic promoters in catalyst science.