Industrial-Scale Production of Graphene

September 9th, 2014 by

Researchers from Penn State and Shinshu University in Japan have discovered a method to fabricate single-layer graphene that is easy to ramp up to industrial scale. The new method, called intercalation, guest molecules or ions are inserted between the carbon layers of graphite to pull the single sheets apart. While studying other layered materials, the researchers used a strong oxidizing agent and a mixture of acids to open up single layers of solid boron nitride, a compound with a structure similar to graphite. To their surprise, the researchers were able to get all of the layers to open up. In subsequent control experiments, the researchers tried leaving out various agents and found that the oxidizing agent wasn’t necessary for the reaction to take place. The method is the first time there has been a preparation of bulk quantities of graphene without chemically damaging the sheets. The work is still in the research stage, and the kinetics of the reaction are slow. If the researchers are successful in speeding up the reaction, then it could have commercial potential.

Source: EurekAlert