Synthesis of graphene: potential carbon precursors and approaches

Graphene is an advanced carbon functional material with inherent unique properties that make it suitable for a wide range of applications. It can be synthesized through either the top–down approach involving delamination of graphitic materials or the bottom–up approach involving graphene assembly fr...

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Main Authors: Yan, Yuxin, Nashath, Fathima Zahra, Chen, Sharon, Manickam, Sivakumar, Lim, Siew Shee, Zhao, Haitao, Lester, Edward, Wu, Tao, Pang, Cheng Heng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: De Gruyter Open Ltd 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/64722/
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author Yan, Yuxin
Nashath, Fathima Zahra
Chen, Sharon
Manickam, Sivakumar
Lim, Siew Shee
Zhao, Haitao
Lester, Edward
Wu, Tao
Pang, Cheng Heng
author_facet Yan, Yuxin
Nashath, Fathima Zahra
Chen, Sharon
Manickam, Sivakumar
Lim, Siew Shee
Zhao, Haitao
Lester, Edward
Wu, Tao
Pang, Cheng Heng
author_sort Yan, Yuxin
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description Graphene is an advanced carbon functional material with inherent unique properties that make it suitable for a wide range of applications. It can be synthesized through either the top–down approach involving delamination of graphitic materials or the bottom–up approach involving graphene assembly from smaller building units. Common top–down approaches are exfoliation and reduction while bottom–up approaches include chemical vapour deposition, epitaxial growth, and pyrolysis. A range of materials have been successfully used as precursors in various synthesis methods to derive graphene. This review analyses and discusses the suitability of conventional, plant- and animal-derived, chemical, and fossil precursors for graphene synthesis. Together with its associated technical feasibility and economic and environmental impacts, the quality of resultant graphene is critically assessed and discussed. After evaluating the parameters mentioned above, the most appropriate synthesis method for each precursor is identified. While graphite is currently the most common precursor for graphene synthesis, several other precursors have the potential to synthesize graphene of comparable, if not better, quality and yield. Thus, this review provides an overview and insights into identifying the potential of various carbon precursors for large-scale and commercial production of fit-for-purpose graphene for specific applications.
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spelling nottingham-647222021-03-10T06:39:42Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/64722/ Synthesis of graphene: potential carbon precursors and approaches Yan, Yuxin Nashath, Fathima Zahra Chen, Sharon Manickam, Sivakumar Lim, Siew Shee Zhao, Haitao Lester, Edward Wu, Tao Pang, Cheng Heng Graphene is an advanced carbon functional material with inherent unique properties that make it suitable for a wide range of applications. It can be synthesized through either the top–down approach involving delamination of graphitic materials or the bottom–up approach involving graphene assembly from smaller building units. Common top–down approaches are exfoliation and reduction while bottom–up approaches include chemical vapour deposition, epitaxial growth, and pyrolysis. A range of materials have been successfully used as precursors in various synthesis methods to derive graphene. This review analyses and discusses the suitability of conventional, plant- and animal-derived, chemical, and fossil precursors for graphene synthesis. Together with its associated technical feasibility and economic and environmental impacts, the quality of resultant graphene is critically assessed and discussed. After evaluating the parameters mentioned above, the most appropriate synthesis method for each precursor is identified. While graphite is currently the most common precursor for graphene synthesis, several other precursors have the potential to synthesize graphene of comparable, if not better, quality and yield. Thus, this review provides an overview and insights into identifying the potential of various carbon precursors for large-scale and commercial production of fit-for-purpose graphene for specific applications. De Gruyter Open Ltd 2020-12-23 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en cc_by https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/64722/1/Synthesis%20of%20graphene%20Potential%20carbon%20precursors%20and%20approaches.pdf Yan, Yuxin, Nashath, Fathima Zahra, Chen, Sharon, Manickam, Sivakumar, Lim, Siew Shee, Zhao, Haitao, Lester, Edward, Wu, Tao and Pang, Cheng Heng (2020) Synthesis of graphene: potential carbon precursors and approaches. Nanotechnology Reviews, 9 (1). pp. 1284-1314. ISSN 2191-9097 graphite top–down bottom–up biomass polymer coal glucose ethanol cheese methane http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/ntrev-2020-0100 doi:10.1515/ntrev-2020-0100 doi:10.1515/ntrev-2020-0100
spellingShingle graphite
top–down
bottom–up
biomass
polymer
coal
glucose
ethanol
cheese
methane
Yan, Yuxin
Nashath, Fathima Zahra
Chen, Sharon
Manickam, Sivakumar
Lim, Siew Shee
Zhao, Haitao
Lester, Edward
Wu, Tao
Pang, Cheng Heng
Synthesis of graphene: potential carbon precursors and approaches
title Synthesis of graphene: potential carbon precursors and approaches
title_full Synthesis of graphene: potential carbon precursors and approaches
title_fullStr Synthesis of graphene: potential carbon precursors and approaches
title_full_unstemmed Synthesis of graphene: potential carbon precursors and approaches
title_short Synthesis of graphene: potential carbon precursors and approaches
title_sort synthesis of graphene: potential carbon precursors and approaches
topic graphite
top–down
bottom–up
biomass
polymer
coal
glucose
ethanol
cheese
methane
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/64722/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/64722/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/64722/