Ultrasonic preparation of graphene

As the special properties of graphite are already known, several graphite preparation methods have been developed. In addition to chemically producing graphene from graphene oxide in a multi-step process, very strong oxidizing and reducing agents are also required. In addition, compared with graphene obtained from other methods, graphene prepared under these harsh chemical conditions often contains a large number of defects even after reduction. However, ultrasound is a proven alternative method that can produce large quantities of high-quality graphene. Researchers use ultrasound to develop a slightly different method, but generally speaking, graphene production can be completed in just one step.

To give an example of a specific graphene production process: add graphite to a mixture of dilute organic acid, alcohol and water, and then expose the mixture to ultrasonic radiation. The acid acts as a "molecular wedge" to separate the graphene sheet from the parent graphite. Through this simple process, a large amount of undispersed, high-quality graphene dispersed in water is produced.