ELECTROCHEMICAL SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF STABLE COLLOIDAL SUSPENSION OF GRAPHENE USING TWO- ELECTRODE CELL SYSTEM

Wan Hazman D, Arunabhiram C, Zaiton AM*, Riadh S, Madzlan A

Abstract

ELECTROCHEMICAL SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF STABLE COLLOIDAL SUSPENSION OF GRAPHENE USING TWO- ELECTRODE CELL SYSTEM

Wan Hazman D1, Arunabhiram C2, Zaiton AM1*, Riadh S3, Madzlan A1 1Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

2Institute of Fluid Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan 3Ibnu Sina Institute for Fundamental Science Studies, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

The present work reports the synthesis and characterization of graphene via electrochemical exfoliation of graphite rod using two-electrode system assisted by Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate (SDS) as a surfactant. The electrochemical process was carried out with sequence of intercalation of SDS onto the graphite anode followed by exfoliation of the SDS-intercalated graphite electrode when the anode was treated as cathode. The effect of intercalation potential from 5 V to 9 V and concentration of the SDS surfactant of 0.1 M and 0.01 M were investigated. UV-vis Spectroscopic analysis indicated an increase in the graphene production with higher intercalation potential. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis showed a well-ordered hexagonal lattice of graphene image and indicated an angle of 60° between two zigzag directions within the honeycomb crystal lattice. Raman spectroscopy analysis shows the graphitic information effects after the exfoliation process.

Keywords: graphene, sodium dodecyl sulphate, electrochemical exfoliation, two-electrode, UV-vis spectra