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Development of Tailored Graphene Nanoparticles: Preparation, Sorting and Structure Assessment by Complementary
Kaiyue Hu1, Luigi Brambilla1, Patrizia Sartori2
1Dipartimento di Chimica, Materiali e Ingegneria Chimica Giulio Natta, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy.
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
|January 21, 2023
Summary
This study characterizes graphene nanoparticles (GNPs) synthesized via physical methods. Specular Reflectance Infrared Spectroscopy proved effective for quantifying GNP chemical functionalization, overcoming limitations of other Raman metrics.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Physical Chemistry
Background:
- Graphene Nanoparticles (GNPs) are synthesized using physical methods like ball milling and ultra-sonication.
- Characterization of GNPs is crucial for understanding their properties and applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To perform a thorough structural characterization of GNPs.
- To evaluate spectroscopic techniques for assessing GNP functionalization.
- To develop stable aqueous dispersions of GNPs.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of GNPs from high-purity synthetic graphite using ball milling and ultra-sonication.
- Characterization using UV-vis absorption/extinction spectroscopy, Dynamic Light Scattering, Transmission Electron Microscopy, IR, and Raman spectroscopy.
- Separation of functionalized GNPs by centrifugation.
Main Results:
- Obtained small GNPs with lateral sizes of 70–120 nm and 1–10 stacked layers.
- Identified a small number of carboxylic groups on GNP edges.
- Demonstrated Specular Reflectance Infrared Spectroscopy's potential for diagnosing and quantifying chemical functionalization.
- Highlighted limitations of common Raman parameters for characterizing GNPs and proposed solutions through comparative analysis.
Conclusions:
- Physically synthesized GNPs can form stable aqueous dispersions without surfactants.
- Specular Reflectance Infrared Spectroscopy offers a reliable method for GNP functionalization analysis.
- Advanced spectroscopic analysis is needed to overcome limitations in characterizing nanoparticle size and shape.
