High-quality production of graphene by liquid-phase exfoliation of expanded graphite

As one of the most promising candidates, graphene exhibits a potential application in post-silicon nanoelectronics. However, it is a key issue to produce high-quality graphene in large scale. Here, a facile method is demonstrated to produce graphene dispersions by exfoliation of expanded graphite in the co-solvent with N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and water. We confirm that the optimal ratio of DMF to water for graphene exfoliation is 9:1 (v:v) by means of UV-Vis absorption spectra. This exfoliation results in large flakes 2 gm in diameter, which can potentially be improved by adjusting the sonication power. The relatively perfect hexagonal structure of graphene is confirmed by Raman spectroscopy and the as-prepared graphene nanosheet film the as-prepared graphene nanosheet film possesses good electrical conductivity (similar to 8.3 x 10(3) S m(-1)). DC electrical transport phenomena for the deposited film of graphene nanosheets are well described in terms of conduction models for non-crystal semiconductor. This convenient approach provides an extensive route to prepare high-quality graphene nanosheets. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.