Performance Evaluation of Laser-induced Graphene on Wood under Laser Modulation

Laser-induced graphene (LIG) fabrication technology, introduced by the James Tour group at Rice University in 2014, has been extensively explored for various applications. These applications include physical sensors such as bending, temperature, and touch sensors; chemical sensors like gas and pH sensors; and energy storage devices, particularly micro-supercapacitors (MSCs). Additionally, theoretical studies utilizing molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been conducted to investigate the LIG formation mechanism. However, the carbonization and graphitization of organic materials are complex and spatially non-uniform, making complete mechanistic interpretation difficult. Most existing research has primarily focused on chemical and materials science aspects, with practical process optimization using commercial laser systems largely limited to simple variations in laser power and scan speed. There is a lack of systematic studies addressing broader laser-parameter modulation. In this study, we systematically varied laser parameters—including power, scanning speed, pulse width, repetition rate, line spacing, and defocusing—and comprehensively evaluated the resulting electrical, physical, and chemical properties of LIG formed on wood substrates. The results provide insights into how graphene quality varies with laser processing conditions and demonstrate a versatile approach for controlling performance through laser modulation.