Co-production of graphene sheets and hydrogen by decomposition of methane using cobalt based catalysts

The present study reports the simultaneous formation of graphene sheets and hydrogen by methane decomposition using cobalt catalysts. The production of graphene structures can be promoted by adjusting the method and conditions employed in the preparation of the metallic catalyst. The use of methane as a reducing agent seems to be an essential factor for the formation of graphene. The best performance in terms of graphene selectivity is shown by the catalyst obtained using Na2CO3 as a precipitating agent in ethylene glycol medium. Several characterization techniques viz. HRTEM, AFM and Raman spectroscopy have been used to identify the graphene sheets.