Simple, Fast and Cost-Effective Electrochemical Synthesis of Few Layer Graphene Nanosheets

Abstract

We report an efficient and green approach for mass production of few layered graphene nanosheets (FLGNSs) by intercalation and exfoliation of pyrolytic graphite sheet in a simple protic, H2SO4electrolyte. The as-prepared FLGNSs at the optimum intercalate concentration of 0.5 M H2SO4is able to produce large domain of lateral dimension of 11–26 μm consisting of 4–6 stacked graphene layers, as confirmed by field emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, respectively. Surface oxygenation and a characteristic absorbance peak at 228 nm are well observed for electrochemical exfoliated FLGNSs from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and UV–Vis spectra respectively. (002) planes of the obtained graphene sheets have been confirmed from X-ray diffraction pattern. The characteristic Raman bands have been observed at 1354 cm-1and 1590 cm-1in the exfoliated FLGNSs.