This research fabricated and tested various graphene-related 1D, 2D and 3D materials. We described how using specifically designed graphene foam (GF) as templates can transform its unique structures and excellent properties to new materials. Graphene, GF, Polypyrrole (PPY), Polyaniline (PANI), PPY-GF, PANI-GF, SiC foam, SiC nanowires and SiC nanoflakes will be described in this thesis. The chemical vapour deposition method was used to produce graphene and GFs. PPY-GF, PPY, PANI and PANI-GF were prepared by both chemical and electrochemical (Chronopotentiometry) methods. SiC foams were produced by a low-cost carbothermal reduction of SiO with GF, and then the SiC nanoflakes were separated from SiC nanowires and purified via a multistep sonication process. The synthesised materials were characterised by a variety of techniques such as SEM, EDX, XRD, TEM, Raman, AFM and TGA. The electrochemical properties of the materials were measured in a three electrode cell using cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge and A.C impedance spectroscopy techniques. The mechanical properties of the GF and SiC foams were investigated by conducting compression tests under in-situ SEM imaging. The as-produced graphene in this research was few layer graphene with layer number varies from 2 to 15. The GFs was found to be extremely light weight with an average density value of 5 mg cm-3. Using GF as electrode materials for supercapacitors, we obtained 100% capacity retention after 10,000 of charge-discharge cycles. The PPY-GF composite electrode exhibited an outstanding specific capacitance of 660 Fg-1, which is superior to the performance of most of the existing PPY-CNT, PPY-graphite and PPY-Graphene electrodes reported to date. In contrast to the PPY which shows a big structure degradation and a 30% capacity loss after only hundreds of CV cycles, the PPY-GF composite showed nearly 100% capacity retention after 6,000 cycles of charge-discharge. Our post-test characterisations showed no structural loss for the GF and PPY-GF. The excellent pseudocapacitive performance of the electrodes was found to be related to three key parameters: the open porosity feature of the GF which provides short pathways for ion diffusion and charge transportation, the dual charge storage mode in the composite, and the excellent mechanical properties of the GF. Due to its high flexibility and void spaces, the GF played successfully the role as a holder and stabilizer for the electroactive materials in protecting them from any structural degradation during the repeated ion intercalation-de-intercalation processes. In the SiC project, we have successfully created extremely light-weighted SiC foams with a density range of 9-20 mg cm-3, with various shapes, by using the GF as templates. These foams are the lightest reported SiC structures, and they consist of hollow trusses made from 2D SiC and long 1D SiC nanowires growing from the trusses, edges and defect sites. The 1D SiC nanowires, being confirmed as 3C-structure, appeared in a variety of shapes and sizes and are highly flexible; the 2D SiC is hexagonal, and upon breakup the resulting 2D nanoflakes have an average size of 2 µm and a thickness value of 2-3 nm which is 5-9 layers of SiC. They, to the best of our knowledge, are probably the thinnest and largest reported SiC flakes. Ultimately, in this research we have successfully produced two extremely lightweight and simultaneously strong foams: the GF and SiC foam. We have explored the GFs by efficiently addressing a key issue in the cycle life of energy storage devices, by creating an ideal architecture of such 3D GF-based electrodes. We have developed a completely novel 3D SiC structure made from continuously linked 2D layered SiC reinforced with 1D SiC nanowires. In-situ compression studies have revealed that both the GF and SiC foams can recover significantly, up to 85% in the case of GF, after compression strain exceeding 70%. The SiC foam did not experience any dramatic failure under the compression loads, as do in conventional ceramics. Compared with most existing lightweight foams of similar density, the present 3D SiC exhibited superior compression strengths and an significantly enhanced strength-to-weight ratio.

published_or_final_version / Physics / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Physics / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Physics / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / abstract / Physics / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / abstract / Physics / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

The electrical efficiency of telecommunication power supplies is increasing to meet customer demands for lower total cost of ownership. Increased capital cost can now be justified if it enables sufficiently large energy savings, allowing the use of topologies and devices previously considered unnecessarily complex or expensive. Silicon carbide Schottky diodes have already been incorporated into commercial power supplies as expensive, but energy saving components. This thesis pursues the next step of considering silicon carbide transistors for use in telecommunications power converters. A range of silicon carbide transistors was considered with a primary focus on recently developed, normally-off, junction field effect transistors. Tests were devised and performed to uncover a number of previously unpublished characteristics of normally-off silicon carbide JFETs. Specifically, unique reverse conduction and associated gate current draw relationships were measured as well as the ability to block small reverse voltages when a negative gate-source voltage is applied. Reverse recovery-like characteristics were also measured and found to be superior to those of silicon MOSFETs. These characteristics significantly impact the steps that are required to maximize efficiency with normally-off SiC JFETs in circuits where synchronous rectification or bidirectional blocking is performed. A gate drive circuit was proposed that combines a number of recommendations to achieve rapid and efficient switching of normally-off SiC JFETs. Specifically, a low transient output impedance was provided to achieve rapid turn-on and turn-off transitions as well as a high dc output impedance to limit the steady state drive current while sustaining the turned-on state. A prototype circuit was constructed using building blocks that are typically found in single chip MOSFET drivers. The circuit was shown to operate well from a single supply, alleviating the need for a split supply such as that required by many published JFET drive circuits. This demonstrated a proof of concept for a single chip JFET driver solution. An active power factor correction circuit topology was extensively modelled and a prototype designed and tested to verify the model. The circuit was able to operate at switching frequencies in excess of 100kHz when using SiC JFETs, whereas silicon MOSFETs could only achieve switching frequencies of several kHz before switching losses became excessive. The circuit was designed as the dc equivalent for a 2kW, 230V AC input power converter with a split +/-400V dc output. A commercial single phase telecommunications power converter was modified to utilise normally-off SiC JFETs in its power factor correction circuit. The converter was tested and found to achieve similar electrical efficiency with 1200V SiC JFETs to that achieved with 600V silicon MOSFETs. The performance of the 1200V SiC JFETs in this application was also compared to that of 900V silicon MOSFETs and found to be superior. Finally, a prototype three-phase cyclo-converter was modified to use 1200V normallyoff SiC JFETs in place of 600V silicon MOSFETs and found to achieve similar electrical efficiency to the silicon MOSFETs in a 208V three phase system. These results strongly indicate that the 1200V SiC JFETs would provide better performance than 900V silicon MOSFETs in a 400V three phase system (that had been considered for commercial development).

Master of Science / Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering / Behrooz Mirafzal / Wide bandgap devices have gained increasing attention in the market of power electronics for their ability to perform even in harsh environments. The high voltage blocking and high temperature withstanding capabilities make them outperform existing Silicon devices. They are expected to find places in future traction systems, electric vehicles, LED lightning and renewable energy engineering systems. In spite of several other advantages later mentioned in this paper, WBG devices also face a few challenges which need to be addressed before they can be applied in large scale in industries. Electromagnetic interference and new requirements in packaging methods are some of the challenges being faced by WBG devices. After the commercialization of these devices, many experiments are being carried out to understand and validate their abilities and drawbacks. This paper summarizes the experimental results of various applications of mainly Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN) power devices and also includes a section explaining the current challenges for their employment and improvements being made to overcome them.

Nesta dissertação discorremos acerca do crescimento e caracterização de filmes finos de carbeto de silício amorfo hidrogenado (a-Si1-xCx:H), crescidos pelo método de deposição química de vapor assistida por plasma (PECVD) no regime de baixa densidade de potência a partir de misturas de silano e metano. Foram analisadas e correlacionadas as propriedades ópticas, morfológicas e composicionais de filmes depositados em diferentes condições de fluxo de silano e concentração de metano. Os resultados não apenas confirmaram dados anteriores obtidos em filmes de a-Si1-xCx:H similares, mas possibilitaram uma melhor compreensão das características deste material. Para a obtenção de um composto de alto gap, alto conteúdo de carbono, química e morfologicamente homogêneo é necessário utilizar baixos fluxos de silano e alta concentração de metano, condições de deposição conhecidas como regime de \"plasma faminto por silano\". Neste regime são crescidos filmes com Eg > 3 eV, x > 0,5, maior concentração de ligações Si-C, concentração de hidrogênio de 50 at.%, menor proporção de radicais CH3 e menor densidade de poros. / In this work we describe the growth and characterization of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide (a-Si1-xCx:H) thin films deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) in the low power density regime from mixtures of silane and methane. The optical, morphological and compositional properties of films deposited under different silane flow and methane concentration were analyzed and correlated. The results not only confirmed previous data obtained on similar a-Si1-xCx:H films, but improved the comprehension of their characteristics. In order to obtain a compound with high optical gap, high carbon content, chemically and morphologically homogeneous, it is necessary to work with low silane flow and high methane concentration; deposition conditions known as \"silane starving plasma\" regime. In this regime, films with Eg > 3 eV, x > 0.5, higher concentration of Si-C bonds, hydrogen concentration of 50 at.%, smaller proportion of CH3 radicals and smaller density of pores are produced.

Tsang Wei Mong. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 86-93). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgement --- p.iv / Contents --- p.v / List of Figure Captions --- p.vi / List of Table Captions --- p.vii / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Theory of Electron Field Emission --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Fowler Nordheim Planar Field Emission Model for Metal --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3 --- Goal of this Project --- p.9 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Sample Preparation and Characterization Methods / Chapter 2.1 --- Sample Preparation --- p.12 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- MEVVA Implantation System --- p.13 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Implantation Conditions --- p.16 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Simulation by SRIM --- p.17 / Chapter 2.2 --- Characterization Methods --- p.20 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- AFM and CAFM --- p.20 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- RBS --- p.22 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- XPS --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- XRD --- p.27 / Chapter 2.2.5 --- TEM --- p.28 / Chapter 2.2.6 --- FE Measurement --- p.29 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- FE Properties of IBS SiC layers / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.31 / Chapter 3.2 --- Field Enhancement Mechanisms for the IBS SiC Layers --- p.32 / Chapter 3.3 --- Embedded Conducting Grains (ECG) Model of Local Field Enhancement --- p.45 / Chapter 3.4 --- The Role of Conducting Grains in Field Enhancement --- p.48 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- FE Properties of W modified IBS SiC layer / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.58 / Chapter 4.2 --- Experimental --- p.59 / Chapter 4.3 --- Phase and Structural Evolution of W Modified IBS SiC Layers --- p.60 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- XRD Results --- p.60 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- XPS Results --- p.64 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- TEM Results --- p.69 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- AFM Results --- p.74 / Chapter 4.4 --- Field Emission Properties --- p.76 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Conclusion --- p.84 / Reference --- p.86 / List of Publications --- p.94 / Appendix --- p.96