"Eau de graphene" from a KC sub(8) graphite intercalation compound prepared by a simple mixing of graphite and molten potassium

• Published in: Physica status solidi. PSS-RRL. Rapid research letters Vol. 10; no. 12; pp. 895 - 899
• Main Authors: Bepete, George, Hof, Ferdinand, Huang, Kai, Kampioti, Katerina, Anglaret, Eric, Drummond, Carlos, Penicaud, Alain
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-12-2016
• Subjects: Flakes; Graphene; Graphite; Inert atmospheres; Intercalation compounds; Potassium; Signatures; Tetrahydrofuran
• ISSN: 1862-6254; 1862-6270
• DOI: 10.1002/pssr.201600167

We synthesized KC sub(8) by simply mixing molten potassium and graphite at 180 degree C under inert atmosphere. The KC sub(8) shows typical shiny bronze color, Raman characteristics and XRD pattern of an efficiently intercalated stage 1 GIC, and is of sufficient quality to produce fully exfoliated graphenide solutions in tetrahydrofuran (THF) and subsequently single layer graphene in water as "eau de graphene" (EdG). The evolution of absorption and Raman spectroscopic signatures of the EdG as a function of processing conditions give key indications on the number of layers of the graphene flakes dispersed in EdG. ( copyright 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim) KC sub(8) graphite intercalation compound was efficiently prepared by simply mixing graphite flakes and molten potassium metal at 180 degree C under inert atmosphere. The KC sub(8) can be readily exfoliated down to single layers in tetrahydrofuran (THF), yielding graphenide solutions. "Eau de graphene" (EdG) was subsequently obtained by mixing graphenide solutions with degassed water and evaporating the THF. Deposits from EdG on freshly cleaved mica show predominantly monolayer graphene flakes.