Preparation of graphene nanowalls by a simple microwave-based method

A simple method for the preparation of graphene sheets is described which uses a conventional microwave oven to produce plasma inside a quartz tube, which is used to degrade and carbonize a carbon source (polyethylene powder) to produce graphitic nanolayers. This technique also allows deposition of the resultant graphene layers on thermally-stable surfaces in interesting morphologies. The effect of post-processing of the nanosheets by thermal treatment in air and argon was investigated. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.