A non-dispersion strategy for large-scale production of ultra-high concentration graphene slurries in water

Abstract

It is difficult to achieve high efficiency production of hydrophobic graphene by liquid phase exfoliation due to its poor dispersibility and the tendency of graphene sheets to undergo π-π stacking. Here, we report a water-phase, non-dispersion exfoliation method to produce highly crystalline graphene flakes, which can be stored in the form of a concentrated slurry (50 mg mL-1) or filter cake for months without the risk of re-stacking. The as-exfoliated graphene slurry can be directly used for 3D printing, as well as fabricating conductive graphene aerogels and graphene-polymer composites, thus avoiding the use of copious quantities of organic solvents and lowering the manufacturing cost. This non-dispersion strategy paves the way for the cost-effective and environmentally friendly production of graphene-based materials.