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The Effect of Solvent Viscosity on Production of Few-layer Graphene from Liquid-phase Exfoliation of Graphite

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 January 2019

Matthew A. Diasio Open the ORCID record for Matthew A. Diasio [Opens in a new window]  and
David L. Green
Matthew A. Diasio
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Virginia, 395 McCormick Road, Charlottesville, VA22904, U.S.A.
David L. Green*
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Virginia, 395 McCormick Road, Charlottesville, VA22904, U.S.A. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA22904, U.S.A. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA22904, U.S.A.
*
*(Email: dlg9s@virginia.edu)
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Abstract:

Prior research into the liquid-phase exfoliation of graphite to produce few-layer graphene has focused primarily on the surface energy matching between graphite and solvent; however, the effect of other solvent properties, such as liquid viscosity, have not been systematically explored. In principle, a higher viscosity solvent should enable the production of graphene and other graphitic nanomaterials by liquid-phase exfoliation at lower shear rates than traditionally used organic solvents of low viscosity, such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). Thus, at a given shear rate, more material should be exfoliated in the higher viscosity solvent. Hence, graphite suspensions in NMP, benzyl benzoate, and propylene glycol were exfoliated at various shear rates in a rheometer. Exfoliant concentrations were measured by ultraviolet- visual (UV-vis) spectroscopy and quality characterization was performed by Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Graphite exfoliation in the more viscous propylene glycol solvent resulted in a higher exfoliant concentration than in the less viscous NMP and benzyl benzoate solvents across all shear rates. Benzyl benzoate lowered exfoliant levels, likely due to a poor surface energy match, resulting in particle attraction and aggregation. Characterization showed that at least some of our material is few-layer graphene.

Keywords

2D materialscolloidgraphene
Type
Articles
Information
MRS Advances , Volume 4 , Issue 3-4: Nanomaterials , 2019 , pp. 241 - 247
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2019 

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