Issue 34, 2021

Rapid monitoring of graphene exfoliation using NMR proton relaxation

Abstract

Graphene is now being produced on an industrial scale and there is a pressing need for rapid in-line measurements of particle size for Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC). Standardised characterisation techniques such as electron microscopy and scanning probe microscopy can be time consuming and may require pre-processing steps and/or solvent elimination prior to measurements. Herein, we demonstrate the use of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) proton relaxation as a powerful method for monitoring the sonication assisted liquid phase exfoliation of graphene. This technique requires little or no sample preparation and the resulting spin–spin relaxation time showed a strong correlation with particle size, exfoliation yield and specific surface area measurements. As the NMR proton relaxation method is rapid, inexpensive, and can potentially be operated in-line, it shows great promise to become a valuable QA/QC method for graphene production methods in liquid.

Graphical abstract: Rapid monitoring of graphene exfoliation using NMR proton relaxation

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
25 May 2021
Accepted
25 Jul 2021
First published
27 Jul 2021

Nanoscale, 2021,13, 14518-14524

Rapid monitoring of graphene exfoliation using NMR proton relaxation

S. Marchesini, P. Turner, K. R. Paton, B. P. Reed and A. J. Pollard, Nanoscale, 2021, 13, 14518 DOI: 10.1039/D1NR03361A

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