Investigation of commercial graphenes

Parker, S. F., Leich, V., Hönig, J. and Albers, P. W. (2020) Investigation of commercial graphenes. ChemistryOpen, 9(10), pp. 1060-1064. (doi: 10.1002/open.202000234) (PMID:33101832) (PMCID:PMC7569895)

Abstract

For graphene to achieve its full scientific and commercial potential, reliable mass production of the material on the multi-tonne scale is essential. We have investigated five samples of graphene obtained from commercial sources that state they can supply the product on the tonne scale per annum. From electron microscopy at the micrometre to the nanometre scale, and neutron vibrational spectroscopy, we find that none of the materials examined were 100 % isolated graphene sheets. In all cases, there was a substantial content of graphite-like material. The samples exhibited varying oxygen contents, this could be present as carboxylic acid (although other oxygenates, quinones, phenols may also be present) or water. We emphasise that INS spectroscopy is particularly useful for the investigation of inorganic materials that will be used commercially: it provides atomic scale information from macroscopic (10's of g) amounts of sample, thus ensuring that the results are truly representative.

• Item Type: Articles
• Keywords: X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, graphene, inelastic neutron scattering spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Parker, Dr Stewart
• Authors: Parker, S. F., Leich, V., Hönig, J., and Albers, P. W.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Chemistry
• Journal Name: ChemistryOpen
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISSN: 2191-1363
• ISSN (Online): 2191-1363
• Published Online: 19 October 2020
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2020 The Authors
• First Published: First published in ChemistryOpen 9(10): 1060-1064
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License