阅读说明：本技术 大量合成石墨烯和衍生物的系统和方法 (System and method for large scale synthesis of graphene and derivatives ) 是由 阿克夏·维维克·僧家罗 安舒尔·库玛·夏尔玛 阿尤什·考施克 于 2019-07-09 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明实施例提供了一种借由机械剪切处理合成石墨烯和多个衍生物的方法和系统。所述方法包括：由颗粒形式的陶瓷材料合成陶瓷基板；在合成陶瓷基板上沉积碳材料以合成涂布有碳质材料的石墨烯陶瓷基板；将涂布碳质材料的石墨烯陶瓷基板溶解/分散在一溶剂中并进行机械剪切,以得到石墨烯及其衍生物的分散溶液。对所述石墨烯分散体进一步进行超声波处理以得到石墨烯纳米片。(Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for synthesizing graphene and multiple derivatives via mechanical shear processing. The method comprises the following steps: synthesizing a ceramic substrate from a ceramic material in particle form; depositing a carbon material on a synthetic ceramic substrate to synthesize a graphene ceramic substrate coated with the carbon material; the graphene ceramic substrate coated with the carbonaceous material is dissolved/dispersed in a solvent and mechanically sheared to obtain a dispersion solution of graphene and derivatives thereof. And further carrying out ultrasonic treatment on the graphene dispersion to obtain graphene nanosheets.)

1. A method of synthesizing graphene and a plurality of derivatives, the method comprising the steps of:

a step of synthesizing a ceramic substrate from a ceramic material in particle form, and wherein the ceramic material is selected from the group consisting of oxides of silicon, aluminum, zirconium, zinc, magnesium, and calcium;

depositing carbon material on the synthesized ceramic substrate to synthesize a graphene ceramic substrate coated with a carbonaceous material, wherein the carbonaceous material is selected from the group consisting of glucose, lactose, fructose, coal tar, pitch, and recycled plastic;

a step of dispersing/dissolving the graphene ceramic substrate coated with the carbonaceous material in at least one solvent to obtain a dispersion solution, and wherein the at least one solvent is selected from the group consisting of acetone, ethanol, water, isopropyl alcohol (IPA), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), Dimethylformamide (DMF), and Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO);

a step of subjecting the dispersion solution to mechanical shearing, the dispersion solution including the graphene ceramic substrate coated with the carbonaceous material dissolved/dispersed in the at least one solvent to exfoliate a graphene layer from the graphene ceramic substrate coated with the carbonaceous material, and wherein the process of exfoliating the graphene layer includes exfoliating a graphene derivative; and

and processing the graphene derivative by performing ultrasonic treatment on the peeled graphene layer to synthesize a graphene nanosheet.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical shearing treatment is performed by rotating or stirring the dispersion solution at a rotation speed of 500 to 10000rpm for 1 to 5 hours to peel the graphene layer from the graphene ceramic substrate coated with the carbonaceous material.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sheet thickness of the synthesized graphene nanoplatelets is dynamically controlled.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sheet diameter of the synthesized graphene nanoplatelets is dynamically controlled.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the crystallinity of the synthesized graphene nanoplatelets is dynamically controlled by controlling the stirring speed in the mechanical shear treatment.

6. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that sulfuric acid (H) is used₂SO₄) Chemically treating the graphene ceramic substrate coated with the carbonaceous material to increase the percentage of oxygen in the graphene nanoplatelets, and wherein the graphene ceramic substrate coated with the carbonaceous material is chemically treated prior to initiating the mechanical shear treatment.

7. A system for synthesizing graphene and a plurality of derivatives by mechanical shearing, the system comprising:

a beaker storing a composite graphene ceramic composite material with at least one solvent, and wherein a ceramic substrate is synthesized by a ceramic material in the form of particles, and depositing a carbonaceous material on the synthesized ceramic substrate to synthesize a graphene ceramic substrate coated with the carbonaceous material to obtain the synthesized graphene ceramic composite material, and wherein the ceramic material is selected from the group consisting of oxides of silicon, aluminum, zirconium, zinc, magnesium, and calcium, and wherein the carbonaceous material is selected from the group consisting of glucose, lactose, fructose, coal tar, pitch, and recycled plastics, and wherein the at least one solvent is selected from the group consisting of acetone, ethanol, water, Isopropanol (IPA), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), Dimethylformamide (DMF), and Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO); and

a plurality of metal blades coupled to a rotor by a round bar, wherein the plurality of metal blades rotate to peel a graphene layer from the graphene ceramic substrate by performing a mechanical shearing process on the graphene ceramic substrate coated with the carbonaceous material and dissolved in at least one solvent to peel the graphene layer from the graphene ceramic substrate coated with the carbonaceous material dissolved/dispersed in the at least one solvent.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the metal blade is rotated at a speed of 500 to 10000rpm for 1 to 5 hours to peel the graphene layer.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the exfoliated graphene layer comprises an exfoliated graphene derivative.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising an ultrasonic processing unit for ultrasonically processing the graphene derivative to synthesize the graphene nanoplatelets, and wherein the sheet thickness, sheet diameter, and crystallinity of the synthesized graphene nanoplatelets are dynamically controlled by controlling the stirring speed in the mechanical shearing process, and wherein sulfuric acid (H) is used (H) to synthesize the graphene nanoplatelets₂8O₄) Chemically treating the graphene ceramic substrate to increase the percentage of oxygen in the graphene nanoplatelets, and wherein the chemical treatment is performed before starting the mechanical shearing treatment.

Technical Field

Embodiments of the invention generally relate to the field of graphene nanotechnology. In particular, embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for the bulk synthesis of graphene nanoplatelets and derivatives for a variety of technical applications. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for synthesizing graphene and various derivatives using environmentally friendly, simple, cost effective, and large scale processing mechanical exfoliation techniques.

Background

Graphene is a single atomic layer thick carbon sheet containing a two-dimensional structure. The two-dimensional structure of graphene consists of sp2 hybridized carbon atoms. Graphene is of wide interest because of its extraordinary properties.

Functionalization of graphene layers with functional groups such as-COOH, -CHO, -OH imparts various adsorptive and conductive properties to these graphene derivatives. The most common techniques for obtaining graphene and various derivatives are Hummer's method, scotch tape method or chemical vapor deposition method. The disadvantage of the Hummer method is the generation of chemical impurities due to the use of very powerful reagents. In addition, the scotch tape process has limitations of low yield and chemical impurities from the adhesive on the scotch tape. Finally, although there are no impurities in the Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) process, the low yield and high cost make the process unsuitable for mass production. In addition, the synthesis of graphene and various derivatives by the above-described techniques involves cumbersome steps followed by purification stages.

Therefore, there is a need for a system and method for synthesizing graphene and various derivatives in large quantities using environmentally friendly, simple, cost-effective mechanical exfoliation techniques, thereby increasing throughput. Also, there is a need for a system and method for synthesizing graphene and various derivatives without expensive chemicals and without releasing toxic substances into the atmosphere.

The above-described shortcomings, shortcomings and problems are addressed by the present invention as will be understood by reading the following specification.

Disclosure of Invention

It is a primary object of embodiments of the present invention to provide a simple and cost-effective system and method for synthesizing graphene nanoplatelets by means of exfoliation.

It is another object of embodiments of the present invention to provide a system and method for exfoliation of graphene from graphene ceramic composites.

It is another object of embodiments of the present invention to provide a system and method for mass synthesis of graphene nanoplatelets by exfoliation of graphene from a graphene ceramic composite.

It is another object of embodiments of the present invention to provide a system and method for exfoliation of graphene from graphene ceramic composites by means of high mechanical shear treatment and sonication techniques in the range of 500rpm to 10000 rpm.

It is another object of embodiments of the present invention to provide a system and method for synthesizing graphene to extract high purity graphene derivatives with less chemical impurities and defects compared to other chemical synthesis methods.

It is another object of embodiments of the present invention to provide a system and method for synthesizing graphene, which forms a graphene ceramic composite using a ceramic including oxides of aluminum, silicon, zinc, magnesium, calcium, zirconium, etc.

It is another object of embodiments of the present invention to provide a system and method for synthesizing graphene and various derivatives using glucose, fructose, lactose, coal tar, pitch, recycled plastics as carbon sources in graphene ceramic composites.

It is another object of embodiments of the present invention to provide a system and method for exfoliation of graphene ceramic composites in a plurality of solvents/stabilizers such as acetone, ethanol, water, isopropanol, N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP), N-Dimethylformamide (DMF), and Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO).

It is a further object of embodiments of the present invention to provide a system and method for synthesizing graphene nanoplatelets from graphene ceramic composites having graphene nanoplatelets with controllable flake thickness.

It is another object of embodiments of the present invention to provide a method of synthesizing graphene nanoplatelets from a graphene ceramic composite material having graphene nanoplatelets with controllable flake diameter (size).

It is another object of embodiments of the present invention to provide a method of synthesizing graphene nanoplatelets from graphene ceramic composites having controllable crystallinity of the graphene nanoplatelets.

It is another object of embodiments of the present invention to provide a system and method for synthesizing graphene nanoplatelets from graphene ceramics by exfoliating the graphene nanoplatelets from being mixed with micronized/nanocrystallized ceramic particles.

It is another object of embodiments of the present invention to provide a system and method for functionalizing graphene ceramic composites to exfoliate functionalized graphene derivatives.

These and other objects and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Summary of embodiments of the invention

The following presents a simplified summary of embodiments of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of several aspects of embodiments herein. This summary is not an extensive overview of the embodiments of the invention. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the embodiments or to delineate the scope of the embodiments. Its sole purpose is to present concepts of the embodiments of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

Other objects and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following description, while indicating preferred embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, is given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments of the present invention encompass all such modifications.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the present invention provides a method for synthesizing graphene and various derivatives by mechanical shearing. The method comprises the step of synthesizing a ceramic substrate from a ceramic material in particulate form, and wherein the ceramic material is selected from the group consisting of oxides of silicon, aluminum, zirconium, zinc, magnesium and calcium. A carbonaceous material is deposited on the synthesized ceramic substrate to obtain a graphene ceramic substrate coated with the carbonaceous material, and wherein the carbonaceous material is selected from the group consisting of glucose, lactose, fructose, coal tar, pitch, and recycled plastic. Mixing/dissolving the graphene ceramic substrate coated with the carbonaceous material in at least one solvent and mechanically shearing to peel the graphene layer from the graphene ceramic substrate coated with the carbonaceous material, and wherein the at least one solvent is selected from the group consisting of acetone, ethanol, water, Isopropanol (IPA), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), Dimethylformamide (DMF), and Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO).

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a system for synthesizing graphene and derivatives by mechanical shearing is disclosed. The system includes a beaker that houses a rod and a plurality of blades. One end of the plurality of blades is attached to the rod. The other end of the rod is connected to a power source through a motor. The beaker comprises a synthetic graphene ceramic composite mixed with at least one solvent, wherein the synthetic graphene ceramic composite is obtained/obtained by synthesizing a ceramic substrate with a ceramic material in particle form, depositing a carbonaceous material on the synthesized ceramic substrate, and synthesizing the graphene ceramic substrate coated with the carbonaceous material, and wherein the ceramic material is selected from the group consisting of oxides of silicon, aluminum, zirconium, zinc, magnesium and calcium; wherein the carbonaceous material is selected from the group consisting of glucose, lactose, fructose, coal tar, pitch, and recycled plastics.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the plurality of blades are metal blades. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of metal blades are coupled to the rotor by a round bar, and wherein the metal blades are rotated to peel the graphene layer from the graphene ceramic substrate by a mechanical shearing process.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the graphene ceramic substrate coated with the carbonaceous material is dissolved in at least one solvent and subjected to a mechanical shearing process to peel the graphene layer from the graphene ceramic substrate coated with the carbonaceous material, and wherein the at least one solvent is selected from the group consisting of acetone, ethanol, water, isopropyl alcohol (IPA), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), Dimethylformamide (DMF), and Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO).

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for synthesizing graphene nanoplatelets by exfoliation processing is provided.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for synthesizing graphene nanoplatelets in a large amount by using a lift-off technique, and a graphene ceramic composite material are provided.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of mechanically shearing graphene sheets from a graphene ceramic composite material. The exfoliated flakes were sonicated to synthesize graphene nanoplatelets.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, by performing the operation/process of mechanically shearing the graphene ceramic composite material, a high purity graphene derivative can be obtained. In contrast to other chemical methods, in the mechanical shear treatment of graphene ceramic nanocomposites, since the treatment is purely mechanical, the chemicals used in the exfoliation treatment are reduced, thereby preventing the release of harmful toxic chemicals into the environment.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for synthesizing a graphene ceramic composite is provided. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the ceramic material is selected from the group consisting of oxides of aluminum, silicon, zinc, magnesium, calcium, zirconium, and the like. According to an embodiment of the invention, the carbon source is selected from the group consisting of glucose, lactose, fructose, coal tar, pitch and recycled plastics. The choice of materials is configured/tailored to form a universally applicable approach.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of exfoliating graphene from a graphene ceramic composite. The exfoliation of the graphene ceramic composite is performed in the presence of a solvent/stabilizer, and wherein the solvent/stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of acetone, ethanol, water, Isopropanol (IPA), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), Dimethylformamide (DMF), and Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO).

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the present invention provides a controllable synthesis method of graphene nanoplatelets. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the sheet thickness, diameter (size) and crystallinity of the graphene nanoplatelets are controlled based on the needs/uses.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the graphene nanoplatelets are exfoliated from the graphene ceramic composite material by using a mechanical exfoliation method. Graphene ceramic composites are synthesized using ceramic materials in particulate form, such as oxides of silicon, aluminum, silicon, zinc, magnesium, calcium, and zirconium. The particulate ceramic material is subjected to a cleaning and annealing process to activate the surface and remove contaminants from the surface. A plurality of carbon precursors selected from the group consisting of carbon, glucose, fructose, lactose, coal tar, pitch, and recycled plastics are coated on a granular ceramic material using water as a solvent. The coated ceramic material is then carbonized in air at a temperature in the range of 200 to 400 ℃. The coated ceramic particulate material segregates and is annealed under inert gas conditions at a temperature in the range of 600 to 950 ℃, thereby forming graphitic carbon (graphene) on the ceramic particles, which is then functionalized/partially oxidized, and wherein the inert gas comprises an inert gas selected from the group consisting of argon, nitrogen, and the like. Peeling the graphene layer from the ceramic particles by subjecting a dispersion solution to a mechanical shearing process, and wherein the dispersion solution includes a graphene ceramic composite dissolved/dispersed in a plurality of solvents, and wherein the plurality of solvents are selected from a group consisting of acetone, ethanol, water, isopropyl alcohol (IPA), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), Dimethylformamide (DMF), and Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), for example. And carrying out ultrasonic treatment on the peeled graphene layer, and then carrying out centrifugal separation, thereby forming the graphene nanosheet. And the obtained residual graphene ceramic composite material is used for carbonization and further stripping.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the present invention provides a process of synthesizing a functionalized graphene ceramic composite and exfoliating the functionalized graphene derivative or graphene ceramic composite to obtain graphene nanoplatelets.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the mechanical shearing process involves coating the ceramic particles with a carbonaceous material and dispersing/dissolving in a solvent (e.g. ethanol, acetone or IPA) in a beaker and mechanically stirring at high speed using a metal blade, such as one rotating at a speed of 500-. This blade rotation creates plastic strain in the material, causing graphene and graphene derivatives to chisel/separate out of the ceramic-graphene composite to extract/obtain graphene and graphene derivatives. In addition, ultrasonic treatment was employed to ensure exfoliation of the graphene layer.

These and other aspects of embodiments of the invention will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following description, while indicating preferred embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, is given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments of the present invention encompass all such modifications.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments.

Drawings

Other objects, features and advantages will occur to those skilled in the art from the following description of a preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1 shows a flow diagram explaining a method of exfoliating graphene nanoplatelets from a graphene ceramic composite, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows a block diagram of a system for exfoliation of graphene nanoplatelets from a graphene ceramic composite, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a graph representing a comparative analysis of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra of silica and silica-based Graphene Ceramic Composites (GCC) before and after chemical treatment to introduce functional groups, according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 shows a graph representing graphene nanoplatelets obtained by mechanically shearing a silica-based Graphene Ceramic Composite (GCC) in H, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure₂SO₄Comparative analysis of spectra of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) before and after the chemical treatment was performed.

FIG. 5 shows slave H in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention₂SO₄Deconvolution Cls peaks of graphene nanoplatelets obtained from chemically treated silica-based Graphene Ceramic Composites (GCC).

FIG. 6 shows slave H in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention₂SO₄Deconvolution Ols peak of graphene nanoplatelets obtained from chemically treated silica-based Graphene Ceramic Composites (GCC).

Although specific features of embodiments of the invention are shown in some drawings and not in others. This is done merely for convenience as each feature may be combined with any or all of the other features in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

Detailed Description

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments that may be practiced. These embodiments have been described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice them, and it is to be understood that other modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the embodiments. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the present invention provides a method for synthesizing graphene and various derivatives by mechanical shearing. The method comprises the step of synthesizing a ceramic substrate from a ceramic material in particulate form, and wherein the ceramic material is selected from the group consisting of oxides of silicon, aluminum, zirconium, zinc, magnesium and calcium. A carbonaceous material is deposited on the synthesized ceramic substrate to obtain a graphene ceramic substrate coated with the carbonaceous material, and wherein the carbonaceous material is selected from the group consisting of glucose, lactose, fructose, coal tar, pitch, and recycled plastic. Mixing/dissolving the graphene ceramic substrate coated with the carbonaceous material in at least one solvent and mechanically shearing to peel the graphene layer from the graphene ceramic substrate coated with the carbonaceous material, and wherein the at least one solvent is selected from the group consisting of acetone, ethanol, water, Isopropanol (IPA), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), Dimethylformamide (DMF), and Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO).

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a system for synthesizing graphene and derivatives by mechanical shearing is disclosed. The system includes a beaker that houses a rod and a plurality of blades. One end of the plurality of blades is attached to the rod. The other end of the rod is connected to a power source through a motor. The beaker comprises a synthetic graphene ceramic composite mixed with at least one solvent, wherein the synthetic graphene ceramic composite is obtained/obtained by synthesizing a ceramic substrate with a ceramic material in particle form, depositing a carbonaceous material on the synthesized ceramic substrate, and synthesizing the graphene ceramic substrate coated with the carbonaceous material, and wherein the ceramic material is selected from the group consisting of oxides of silicon, aluminum, zirconium, zinc, magnesium and calcium; wherein the carbonaceous material is selected from the group consisting of glucose, lactose, fructose, coal tar, pitch, and recycled plastics.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the plurality of blades are metal blades. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of metal blades are coupled to the rotor by a round bar, and wherein the metal blades are rotated to peel the graphene layer from the graphene ceramic substrate by a mechanical shearing process.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the graphene ceramic substrate coated with the carbonaceous material is dissolved in at least one solvent and subjected to a mechanical shearing process to peel the graphene layer from the graphene ceramic substrate coated with the carbonaceous material, and wherein the at least one solvent is selected from the group consisting of acetone, ethanol, water, isopropyl alcohol (IPA), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), Dimethylformamide (DMF), and Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO).

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for synthesizing graphene nanoplatelets by exfoliation processing is provided.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for synthesizing graphene nanoplatelets in a large amount by using a lift-off technique, and a graphene ceramic composite material are provided.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of mechanically shearing graphene sheets from a graphene ceramic composite material. The exfoliated flakes were sonicated to synthesize graphene nanoplatelets.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, by performing the operation/process of mechanically shearing the graphene ceramic composite material, a high purity graphene derivative can be obtained. In contrast to other chemical methods, in the mechanical shear treatment of graphene ceramic nanocomposites, since the exfoliation treatment is purely mechanical, the chemicals used in the exfoliation treatment are reduced, thereby preventing the release of harmful toxic chemicals into the environment.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for synthesizing a graphene ceramic composite is provided. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the ceramic material is selected from the group consisting of oxides of aluminum, silicon, zinc, magnesium, calcium, zirconium, and the like. According to an embodiment of the invention, the carbon source is selected from the group consisting of glucose, lactose, fructose, coal tar, pitch and recycled plastics. The choice of materials is configured/tailored to form a universally applicable approach.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of exfoliating graphene from a graphene ceramic composite. The exfoliation of the graphene ceramic composite is performed in the presence of a solvent/stabilizer, and wherein the solvent/stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of acetone, ethanol, water, Isopropanol (IPA), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), Dimethylformamide (DMF), and Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO).

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the present invention provides a controllable synthesis method of graphene nanoplatelets. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the sheet thickness, diameter (size) and crystallinity of the graphene nanoplatelets are controlled based on the needs/uses.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the graphene nanoplatelets are exfoliated from the graphene ceramic composite material by using a mechanical exfoliation method. Graphene ceramic composites are synthesized using ceramic materials in particulate form, such as oxides of silicon, aluminum, silicon, zinc, magnesium, calcium, and zirconium. The particulate ceramic material is subjected to a cleaning and annealing process to activate the surface and remove contaminants from the surface. A plurality of carbon precursors selected from the group consisting of carbon, glucose, fructose, lactose, coal tar, pitch, and recycled plastics are coated on a granular ceramic material using water as a solvent. The coated ceramic material is then carbonized in air at a temperature in the range of 200 to 400 ℃. The coated ceramic particle material is segregated and annealed under inert gas conditions, wherein the inert gas comprises an inert gas selected from the group consisting of argon, nitrogen, etc. within a temperature range of 600 to 950 ℃, whereby graphitic carbon (graphene) is formed on the ceramic particles and then functionalized/partially oxidized, and the graphene layer is exfoliated from the ceramic particles by subjecting the dispersion solution to a mechanical shearing treatment, and wherein the dispersion solution comprises a graphene ceramic composite dissolved/dispersed in a plurality of solvents, and wherein the plurality of solvents are selected from the group consisting of solvents such as acetone, ethanol, water, Isopropanol (IPA), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), Dimethylformamide (DMF), and Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). And carrying out ultrasonic treatment on the peeled graphene layer, and then carrying out centrifugal separation, thereby forming the graphene nanosheet. And the obtained residual graphene ceramic composite material is used for carbonization and further stripping.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the present invention provides a process of synthesizing a functionalized graphene ceramic composite and exfoliating the functionalized graphene derivative or graphene ceramic composite to obtain graphene nanoplatelets.

Fig. 1 shows a flow diagram explaining a method of exfoliating graphene nanoplatelets from a graphene ceramic composite, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The particulate ceramic material is cleaned and annealed (step 101) to activate the surface and remove contaminants. A carbon precursor is coated and carbonized on the cleaned and annealed ceramic material (step 102). Graphitizing the carbonized ceramic material to obtain the graphene ceramic composite material (step 103). The resulting graphene ceramic composite is functionalized/partially oxidized graphene ceramic composite (step 104). The graphene ceramic composite material is exfoliated by mechanical shearing to obtain a graphene derivative (step 105). The exfoliated material is sonicated and centrifuged to obtain a layered graphene derivative (step 106). The residual graphene ceramic composite material obtained after the mechanical shearing is used for carbonization and stripping (step 107).

Graphene Ceramic Composites (GCCs) essentially comprise ceramic particles with graphene deposited on the surface. The graphene coated GCC is mechanically sheared to remove the graphene layer from the top of the GCC. When the GCC is treated with sulfuric acid first, functional groups are formed on the surface of graphene. Functionalized graphene is basically referred to as "graphene derivative".

Fig. 2 shows a block diagram of a system for exfoliation of graphene nanoplatelets from a graphene ceramic composite, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system includes a beaker 201 that contains a solvent in which a graphene ceramic composite 202 is dispersed/dissolved, a metal blade 203, and a round bar 204. The beaker 201 comprises a solvent dispersed with graphene ceramic composite 202, graphene is exfoliated from the graphene ceramic composite 202 using a metal blade 203, the metal blade 203 is attached to the rotor by means of a round bar 204 and operated by an external power source.

Figure 3 shows comparative analysis of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra of silica and silica-based Graphene Ceramic Composites (GCC) before and after chemical treatment to introduce functional groups. The chemical treatment of the silica-based GCC is carried out by transferring the silica-based GCC to concentrated H₂SO₄In solution. Will contain dioxygenThe solution of silica-based GCC was stirred for 15-75 minutes. The stirred solution is washed several times to remove excess acid and finally dried at 80-200 ℃ for 1-3 hours. The chemically treated GCC (t-GCC) thus obtained has a prominent absorption peak at-3450 cm-1, which corresponds to the oxygen introduced on the graphene surface.

FIG. 4 shows graphene nanoplatelets obtained by mechanically shearing a silica-based Graphene Ceramic Composite (GCC) in the presence of H₂SO₄Comparative analysis of spectra of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) before and after chemical treatment. This chemical treatment resulted in an increase in the atomic percentage of oxygen in the resulting graphene nanoplatelets from 36.55% to 56.55%.

FIG. 5 shows a view from H₂SO₄Deconvolution Cls peaks of graphene nanoplatelets obtained from chemically treated silica-based Graphene Ceramic Composites (GCC).

FIG. 6 shows a graph from H₂SO₄Deconvolution Ols peak of graphene nanoplatelets obtained from chemically treated silica-based Graphene Ceramic Composites (GCC). The maximum content is C-O bonds (49.5%).

Embodiments of the present invention provide a simple and cost-effective method of synthesizing graphene nanoplates by a lift-off process.

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods of exfoliating graphene from graphene ceramic composites.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for synthesizing a large amount of graphene nanoplatelets by exfoliating graphene from a graphene ceramic composite.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method comprising high mechanical shear and sonication in the range of 500rpm and 10000rpm to exfoliate graphene from a graphene ceramic composite.

Embodiments of the present invention provide high-purity graphene derivatives with less chemical impurities and defects compared to other chemical synthesis approaches.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method comprising using a ceramic comprising an oxide of aluminum, silicon, zinc, magnesium, calcium, zirconium, or the like to form a graphene composite.

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods for synthesizing graphene and various derivatives, including using glucose, fructose, lactose, coal tar, pitch, recycled plastics, and the like as a carbon source in graphene ceramic composites.

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods for exfoliation of graphene ceramic composites in a number of solvents/stabilizers such as acetone, ethanol, water, isopropanol, N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP), N-Dimethylformamide (DMF), and Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO).

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of synthesizing graphene nanoplatelets from graphene ceramic composites having graphene nanoplatelets of controllable sheet thickness. Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of synthesizing graphene nanoplatelets from graphene ceramic composites having controllable platelet diameter (size).

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of synthesizing graphene nanoplatelets from a graphene ceramic composite material with controllable crystallinity.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of synthesizing graphene nanoplatelets from a graphene ceramic composite material, wherein the graphene nanoplatelets are exfoliated from being mixed with micronized/nanocrystallized ceramic particles.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a process for functionalizing graphene ceramic composites to exfoliate functionalized graphene derivatives.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments.

It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments of this invention have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments of the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.

While embodiments of the invention have been described in terms of various specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments of the invention can be modified and practiced.