German chemists have found a way to inexpensively produce defect-free graphene.
Graphene is one of the most promising new materials in the foreground. However, researchers all over the world are still looking for a low-cost method of making defect-free graphene.
Chemists in Erlangen-Nuremberg University (FAU), Germany, pioneered the production of defect-free graphene from graphite. Their study, recently published in Nature Communications.
Graphene is a two-dimensional material composed of single-layer carbon atoms. Its electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity are very good, but also transparent, flexible, but the intensity is very large. The unique properties of graphene allow it to be used in many sophisticated technologies, such as transparent electrodes for flexible displays.
However, the current graphene manufacturing technology, in terms of product size, size and flaws (affecting the conductivity) and other aspects of the need to be improved, so the semiconductor industry has yet to really apply graphene. A FAU research team led by Professor Andreas Hirsch recently made a breakthrough in reducing the flaws in graphene.
Using the additive benzonitrile, they found a way to make defect-free graphene directly from solution. The graphene produced by this method can be cut without defects, and the specific electrical properties can also be obtained by setting the number of carriers. The quality of graphene produced in this way is much higher than ever before. In addition, the technology is highly efficient and inexpensive.
There is a common method of manufacturing graphene chemical exfoliation of graphite. In this method, metal ions are nested in graphite (made of carbon) to form intercalation compounds. After which a single layer of carbon atoms, that is, graphene, is separated from the solvent.
The stabilized graphene is then separated from the solvent. However, in the process, graphene finally obtained may be flawed due to the hydration or oxidation of carbon atoms in the crystal lattice. Researchers at FAU have discovered a solution that will solve this problem. They added benzonitrile to this solution, allowing graphene to be isolated without generating excess functional groups, so that the resulting graphene is defect-free.
"This discovery is a breakthrough for experts in the field of reduction of graphene synthesis," said Professor Hirsch. "Based on this finding, we expect tremendous advances in the method of wet-chemical exfoliation of graphene, such as Semiconductor and sensor technology to cut defect-free graphene. "
The method the FAU researchers designed has another advantage: in the reaction, the reduced benzonitrile molecules turn red as long as they do not come in contact with oxygen or water. According to discoloration, researchers can easily count carriers with absorption measurements. Previously, the number of carriers could only be calculated by measuring the voltage. This means that graphene and battery researchers now have new ways to measure the state of charge.
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