Reduced graphene oxide synthesis by dry planetary ball milling followed by arc plasma treatment of high pure graphite

Abstract

Abstract We have successfully prepared a challenging and wonderful material, reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/graphene with improved quality from high pure graphite (HPG) efficiently by planetary ball milling process followed by arc plasma treatment under hydrogen atmosphere. Graphene oxides (GO) have been synthesized with varying degrees of oxidation via the planetary ball milling route by milling HPG between 3 – 8 h. The lowest C/O ratio (0.965) was observed for the 8 h ball milled sample. The as-prepared GOs were taken for only five min of arc plasma treatment under a hydrogen atmosphere. As the typical GO (prepared by 8 h ball milling) underwent a reduction by plasma treatment for producing a typical RGO sample, it was found that the C/O ratio increased from 0.965 in GO to 14.86 in RGO. RGO shows a hexagonal structure with well-defined crystallinity. Bi-layered and transparent types of structures were found in the RGO sample. The typical plasma treated RGO sample (prepared from 8 h ball milled GO sample) exhibits extraordinary BET surface area and electrical conductivity values of 1230.0 m2 g−1 and 4.587 × 103 S cm−1, respectively, compared to those of HPG.