Graphene production process: Mechanical exfoliation

Mechanical exfoliation: the process

This method was first described in 2008 in order to answer the needs for a scalable production process to produce graphene.

This top-down method requires mechanical energy in order to exfoliate graphite. Most commonly, techniques like sonication or high-shear-mixing are utilized. To obtain stable dispersions, it is necessary to add a specific solvent or surfactant.

Advantages and drawbacks

Depending on the process used, mechanical exfoliation leaves very few defects in the graphene, enabling it to maintain its structure and electrical or thermal properties. However, this production method usually leads to a large distribution of graphene flakes in size and thickness.

Moreover, since graphene is hydrophobic by nature, it will tend to reaggregate after dispersion in a solvent. The surfactants or functionalizers chosen therefore play a major role in the stability and final properties of the dispersion. However, the surfactants or solvents used can deteriorate the properties of graphene.

What to remember about the mechanical exfoliation process?

Although this production method is fairly simple to implement, the quality and purity of exfoliated graphene may not be sufficient for specific applications.

In this category

Preformulated performance additives: 6 reasons to adopt them...

At a time when innovation is driving competitiveness, industries are looking for more effective solutions to improve their products and processes. Among the many options available, pre-formulated performance additives are emerging as particularly promising. These products are designed to offer specific properties to industrial materials and formulations. They offer considerable advantages in terms of cost, […]

Graphene-based performance additives: Carbon Waters’ Graph’Up range at...

Graphene-based performance additives are transforming the industrial world by meeting the technological and environmental challenges of the most demanding sectors. Carbon Waters, at the forefront of this revolution, is offering Graph’Up a range of ready-to-use high-performance additives. These products, the result of several years of research and development, can be easily integrated into industrial processes […]

How is graphene revolutionizing the battery industry?

Electrical energy is a central pillar of the energy transition. In fact, most of the appliances we use or will use in the future are battery powered. So, the need for high-performance, sustainable storage solutions has never been more pressing. But current batteries, particularly lithium-ion batteries, have serious limitations in terms of cost, environmental impact […]