Download extraction of wrinkled graphene from hydrocarbon

EXTRACTION OF WRINKLED GRAPHENE FROM HYDROCARBON
A.V.Ramya1, Anu N. Mohan2, B.Manoj1
1
Dept. of Physics, Christ University, Bangalore; 2Dept. of Physics, Jain University, Bangalore
Graphene oxide has grabbed intensive research interest due to its part as a
promising precursor for large-scale and cost-effective production of graphene-based
materials. Generally, graphene oxide is derived from graphite by controlled oxidation.
In contrast, a liquid hydrocarbon was chosen as precursor to synthesize graphene
oxide. Distillate fraction of crude oil was subjected to thermal decomposition and the
hydrocarbon soot thus obtained was treated by a modified Hummer’s method to
produce graphene oxide.
X-ray Diffraction (XRD) pattern of hydrocarbon soot exhibited turbostratic graphitic
structure with interlayer spacing (d002) ~ 3.54 Å. The same of graphene oxide
revealed the formation of a heterogeneous structure with a physical mixture of
graphene oxide, graphite and amorphous like carbon, with lateral size (La) and
stacking height (Lc) ~ 3 nm. In the Raman spectrum of soot, the positions of D and G
bands were similar to that of graphite with ID/IG ~ 0.82 while those of graphene oxide
revealed an increase in intensity and blue shift due to oxidation, with ID/IG ~ 0.91.
Fourier
Transform
Infrared
Spectroscopy
(FTIR)
and
X-ray
Photoelectron
Spectroscopy (XPS) of the virgin sample revealed the functional groups present
while that of graphene oxide affirmed the incorporation of additional epoxy, hydroxyl,
carboxyl and carbonyl groups into the carbon backbone as a result of oxidation.
Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) assured the formation of few layer graphene and
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) confirmed the formation of nanoscale wrinkled
graphene oxide thereby supporting XRD and Raman analysis results. Solubility and
stability of the synthesized graphene oxide in a variety of solvents for varying time
periods was also investigated.