Interlayer catalytic exfoliation realizing scalable production of large-size pristine few-layer graphene

Sci Rep. 2013:3:1134. doi: 10.1038/srep01134. Epub 2013 Jan 25.

Abstract

Mass production of reduced graphene oxide and graphene nanoplatelets has recently been achieved. However, a great challenge still remains in realizing large-quantity and high-quality production of large-size thin few-layer graphene (FLG). Here, we create a novel route to solve the issue by employing one-time-only interlayer catalytic exfoliation (ICE) of salt-intercalated graphite. The typical FLG with a large lateral size of tens of microns and a thickness less than 2 nm have been obtained by a mild and durative ICE. The high-quality graphene layers preserve intact basal crystal planes owing to avoidance of the degradation reaction during both intercalation and ICE. Furthermore, we reveal that the high-quality FLG ensures a remarkable lithium-storage stability (>1,000 cycles) and a large reversible specific capacity (>600 mAh g(-1)). This simple and scalable technique acquiring high-quality FLG offers considerable potential for future realistic applications.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't