Abstract: A method of forming a graphene film on one or more surfaces of a metal substrate, the method comprising the steps of: (i) heating a metal substrate defining one or more surfaces to an exposure temperature; (ii) restricting the metal flux from the one or more surfaces at the exposure temperature by provision of one or more counter surfaces proximal to one or more of the surfaces of the substrate; (iii) exposing the substrate to a carbon containing precursor gas at the exposure temperature so as to form a graphene film on the or each surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A method of forming a graphene film (20) on one or more surfaces (10) of a copper-containing substrate (12) comprising the steps of: (i) heating a copper-containing substrate (12) defining one or more surfaces (10) to an exposure temperature; (ii) exposing the substrate (12) to a carbon-containing precursor gas at the exposure temperature for a predetermined period of time to dissolve carbon atoms into the substrate (12) and saturate the substrate (12) with carbon atoms; and (iii) cooling the substrate (12) so as to segregate the dissolved carbon atoms (16) from the substrate (12) to form a graphene film (20) on the or each surface (10) of the substrate (12); wherein the method further includes the step of selecting the copper-containing substrate (12) on the basis of its thickness to control the depth of the graphene film (20) formed on the or each surface (10) of the substrate (12) on cooling the substrate (12) so as to segregate the dissolved carbon atoms from the substrate (12).