One Step Synthesis of Graphene-Like Structures by Carbonization of some Carbohydrates in Molten Salt Media

Abstract

Graphene is one of the most promising materials discovered in last years. It is usually synthesized by Hummers’ method requiring the usage of many chemicals. As an alternative to traditional methods, in this study a bottom-up synthesis method was developed from various saccharides such as starch, mannose, cellulose, fructose, arabinose, and xylose by carbonization at 600 °C to 800 °C in LiCl/KCl molten salt system. The proposed method is environmental friendly and economic. Graphene yields at 600 °C are higher than at 800 °C. Graphene products give peak at 2θ = 23° on the X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) patterns. As the temperature is increased, amorph structure is observed on the XRD patterns. Raman spectroscopy results show that intensity of D band peak over intensity of G band peak (ID/IG) values of graphene products synthesized from arabinose and cellulose at 600 °C, graphene from arabinose synthesized at 800 °C are 0.76, 0.65 and 0.85 respectively, which show that these products are few-layered. According to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results, graphene products synthesized at 600 °C have higher carbon content than those synthesized at 800 °C.