Facile and Diverse Graphene Manufacturing from Proprietary Arc Discharge Process

Abstract

Low cost, low defect and high-quality graphene have been produced in three simple exfoliation steps as a fully tested commercial concept. Low energy thermal arc-discharging expands the electrolytic graphite rod electrodes into hierarchical-like 3D graphene retaining the graphite structural order on a basal plane and chemical purity. Multi-size ball milling causes movement of the graphene materials in multi-shear directions, with optimized speed of the balls and lesser time. Micro-waving further separates the graphene sheets by “thermal expansion and release” mechanism utilizing thermally induced lattice vibrations. This also causes higher lattice order on basal plane improving directional and surface properties. The produced graphene (XRD 2theta = 26 degrees) has low defect (I(D)/I(G) between 0.05 and 0.2), retains chemical purity (between 0.56 and 2.4% change in oxygen content), and with comparatively optimized effective nano-sizes (ranging from 300nm to 35um). These properties make the graphene suitable for diverse applications, dispersibility in various solvents, conformability to flat semitransparent surfaces, and storable in concentrated slurries (>50 mg mL−1) or powder. Keywords: Low Defect; 2D Planar; Arc Discharge Graphene; PPC Sonication; 5 Sec Microwaving; Exfoliation; Electronics.References O.J. Dada, " In-Situ Electrochemical Functionalization of Reduced Graphene Oxide: Positive Lead Acid Case. " ECS Trans., vol. 66, no. 14, pp. 19–30, Aug. 2015.O.J. Dada, “ In-Situ Electrochemical Functionalization of Reduced Graphene Oxide: Positive Lead Acid Case.,” ECS ., MA2015-01 (870), April 2015.O.J. Dada and D. Villaroman, " Superior Electronic and Dielectric Properties of Corrugated ElectrochemicallyReduced Graphene over Graphene Oxide Papers " Journal of the Electrochemical Society, vol 166 no.2, pp D1-D16, 2019.O.J. Dada, " Functional Cathodic and Anodic Transition of Graphene Oxide Paper in Lead Acid Battery System and Its Electrochemistry ". Materials Today: Proceedings”, vol. 3, no. 8, 2688-2697, 2016.O.J. Dada, " Interconnected Graphene Networks as Novel NanoComposite for Optimizing Lead Acid Cathode ". IEEE NANO 2015- Int. Conf. Nanotechnology, Rome, 2015.O.J. Dada, " Higher Capacity Utilization and Rate Performance of Lead Acid Battery Electrodes Using Graphene Additives ”. Journal of Energy Storage, vol. 23, pp579-589, Jun. 2019.O.J. Dada, " Effect of the Size and Conductivity of Tailored Graphene Electro-Catalysts, Lead Acid Battery Cathode as a Case ". IEEE NANO 2015- Int. Conf. Nanotechnology, Rome, Italy, 2015.O.J. Dada, " Wrinkled Graphene Oxide Synthesis by Electrolytic Arc Discharge of Graphite Rods and Slightly Modified Hummer’s Process ". Available at SSRN 3368351, 2019.O.J. Dada, " Highly Ordered Commercial Graphene Manufactured from 3 Simple Steps ". Available at SSRN 3335369, 2019.O.J. Dada, " Low Defect Planar Graphene Exfoliation by Sonication in Polypropylene Carbonate and 5 sec Microwaving ". Available at SSRN 3386581, 2019.O.J. Dada, " Utilization of Hard Carbon as a Substitute for Graphite As Efficient Lithium Battery Anode Material ". Available at SSRN 3368403, 2019.O.J. Dada, “ High Performance Lithium Battery Anodes from Non-Water based Graphene ”. Available at SSRN 3368433, 2019.O.J. Dada, “ Free Standing Porous Graphene and Reduced Graphene Papers Manufactured from Sedimentation of Arc Discharge of Graphite Rods ”. Available at SSRN 3481786, 2019.O.J. Dada, " Corrigendum to “Higher capacity utilization and rate performance of lead acid battery electrodes using graphene additives” . Journal of Energy Storage, vol. 23, pp579–589, Jun. 2019.