Preparation of few-layered graphene using K-THF-GICs with the addition of alcohol

Abstract

Preparation of few-layer graphene with a low oxygen content and having a large area was attempted by the exfoliation of stage-1 K-THF-graphite intercalation compounds by adding alcohol solvents, where the effect of the alkyl-chain length of the added primary alcohol on the exfoliation behavior was investigated. Ultraviolet and visible absorption spectroscopy for the solvents after the exfoliation indicated that the longer the alkyl-chain length of the added alcohol, the more few-layer graphene was produced. Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that exfoliation using 1-decanol produced few-layer graphene with the lowest oxygen content and a large area. The average thickness and area of the obtained few-layer graphene were 2.4 nm and 73 µm², respectively, which were almost the same as those （2.4 nm and 76 µm²） we reported for few-layer graphene prepared using an aldehyde such as 1-decanal.