# CVD graphene on copper and PMMA transfer

> Graphene grown by CVD on copper foil has to be moved onto an insulating substrate before it can be used in devices. A thin PMMA film is spin-coated on top as a support, the copper is etched away so that the PMMA/graphene film floats, and the film is scooped onto SiO₂/Si; acetone then dissolves the PMMA.

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- Open in the LabCanvas editor (LabCanvas account): https://www.labcanvas.com/editor.html?template=cvd-copper-pmma-transfer
- Updated: 2026-10-14
- Category: Graphene synthesis
- Method: Chemical vapour deposition, bottom-up
- Starting materials: Copper foil; CH₄ and H₂
- Product: Monolayer graphene on SiO₂/Si (or another target substrate)
- Typical size: Centimetre-scale films, limited by the foil and the furnace
- Key result: High: mostly monolayer, electron mobility up to 4050 cm²/V·s reported; transfer adds wrinkles, cracks and residue
- Scalability: High for growth; the transfer is the bottleneck
- Figure: 1920 × 1080 px, 68 editable layers (14 generated objects with settings)

## Steps

1. **CVD growth**: CH₄ (with H₂) over hot Cu foil in a tube furnace
2. **Spin-coat PMMA**: A thin polymer film supports the graphene
3. **Etch the copper**: Float the stack on a copper etchant (for example aqueous FeCl₃) until the copper is gone
4. **Rinse and scoop**: Rinse the floating film in water and lift it onto SiO₂/Si
5. **Remove the PMMA**: Dissolve the polymer in acetone

## Strengths

- Large-area monolayer films
- Works with almost any target substrate
- Simple, widely used lab procedure

## Limitations

- PMMA residue and etchant ions contaminate the graphene
- Tears and wrinkles from handling
- The copper foil is used up

## Uses

- Transparent conductive electrodes
- Field-effect transistors and sensors
- Membranes and coatings

## References

1. Li et al., “Large-area synthesis of high-quality and uniform graphene films on copper foils”, Science 2009. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1171245 (primary)
2. Li et al., “Transfer of large-area graphene films for high-performance transparent conductive electrodes”, Nano Lett. 2009. https://doi.org/10.1021/nl902623y (primary)
3. Sun et al., “Synthesis of wafer-scale graphene with chemical vapor deposition for electronic device applications”, Adv. Mater. Technol. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1002/admt.202000744 (review)
4. Bonaccorso et al., “Production and processing of graphene and 2d crystals”, Mater. Today 2012. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1369-7021(13)70014-2 (review)

Credit: Redrawn and simplified after Li et al., Science 2009 (doi:10.1126/science.1171245) and Li et al., Nano Lett. 2009 (doi:10.1021/nl902623y).

## Questions

**What does the “CVD graphene on copper and PMMA transfer” template show?** Graphene grown by CVD on copper foil has to be moved onto an insulating substrate before it can be used in devices. A thin PMMA film is spin-coated on top as a support, the copper is etched away so that the PMMA/graphene film floats, and the film is scooped onto SiO₂/Si; acetone then dissolves the PMMA.

**What are the steps shown in “CVD graphene on copper and PMMA transfer”?** 1. CVD growth: CH₄ (with H₂) over hot Cu foil in a tube furnace. 2. Spin-coat PMMA: A thin polymer film supports the graphene. 3. Etch the copper: Float the stack on a copper etchant (for example aqueous FeCl₃) until the copper is gone. 4. Rinse and scoop: Rinse the floating film in water and lift it onto SiO₂/Si. 5. Remove the PMMA: Dissolve the polymer in acetone.

**What are the starting materials and the product?** Starting materials: Copper foil; CH₄ and H₂. Product: Monolayer graphene on SiO₂/Si (or another target substrate).

**Which papers is “CVD graphene on copper and PMMA transfer” based on?** Li et al., “Large-area synthesis of high-quality and uniform graphene films on copper foils”, Science 2009 (doi:10.1126/science.1171245); Li et al., “Transfer of large-area graphene films for high-performance transparent conductive electrodes”, Nano Lett. 2009 (doi:10.1021/nl902623y); Sun et al., “Synthesis of wafer-scale graphene with chemical vapor deposition for electronic device applications”, Adv. Mater. Technol. 2021 (doi:10.1002/admt.202000744); Bonaccorso et al., “Production and processing of graphene and 2d crystals”, Mater. Today 2012 (doi:10.1016/S1369-7021(13)70014-2).

**Can I edit the “CVD graphene on copper and PMMA transfer” template?** Yes. Open it in the LabCanvas editor: all 68 layers are editable, including 14 generated objects (structures, plots, equipment) with their own settings. Change the text, colours and layout, then export PNG, TIFF, SVG or PDF.

**Do I need an account to use this template?** Not to view it here. To open and edit it, sign in to LabCanvas or create a free account (the free plan keeps one design of each kind). Downloading the figure is part of LabCanvas Pro (US$19 a month or US$199 a year).