Charge inhomogeneity determines oxidative reactivity of graphene on substrates.

Single-layer graphene (SLG) supported on SiO(2) shows anomalously large chemical reactivity compared to thicker graphene, with charge inhomogeneity-induced potential fluctuations or topographic corrugations proposed as the cause. Here we systematically probe the oxidative reactivity of graphene supported on substrates with different surface roughnesses and charged impurity densities: hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), mica, thermally grown SiO(2) on Si, and SiO(2) nanoparticle thin films. SLG on low charge trap density hBN is not etched and shows little doping after oxygen treatment at temperatures up to 550 °C, in sharp contrast with oxidative etching under similar conditions of graphene on high charge trap density SiO(2) and mica. Furthermore, bilayer graphene shows reduced reactivity compared to SLG regardless of its substrate-induced roughness. Together the observations indicate that graphene's reactivity is predominantly controlled by charge inhomogeneity-induced potential fluctuations rather than surface roughness.