Fabrication of electrochemically stable fluorinated nano-carbon film compared with other fluorinated carbon materials

We fabricated electrochemically stable fluorinated nano-carbon film that had an sp(2) and sp(3) hybrid nanocrystalline structure formed using the electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) sputtering method. This fluorinated ECR (F-ECR) nano-carbon film prepared with a short CF4 plasma treatment has a high fluorine content (F/C:0.20) and a low oxygen content (O/C:0.02) on its surface and retains its original morphology. This F-ECR nano-carbon is capable of a lower capacitance current, and a wider potential window than untreated ECR nano-carbon. The electron transfer rates at an F-ECR electrode are as high as those of untreated carbons for Ru(NH3)(6)(2+/3+), whereas they are much slower than those of untreated ECR nano-carbon for Fe2+/3+ and Fe(CN)(6)(3-/4-) owing to its selective sp(2) fluorination. These slow electron transfer rates for Fe2+/3+ and Fe(CN)(6)(3-/4-) are maintained during potential cycles due to its robust nanocrystalline structure. In contrast, these slow electron transfer rates were easily recovered for fluorinated glassy carbon under same condition. Furthermore, a smaller fluorination effect was observed for polycrystalline boron-doped diamond owing to the low reactivity of its sp(3) bonds. Our ECR nano-carbon film is suitable for the effective fabrication of a fluorinated surface while maintaining a relatively active electrochemical interface and excellent stability. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.