Large‐Scale Syntheses of 2D Materials: Flash Joule Heating and Other Methods

Abstract

In the past 17 years, the larger‐scale production of graphene and graphene family materials has proven difficult and costly, thus slowing wider‐scale commercial applications. The quality of the graphene that is prepared on larger scales has often been poor, demonstrating a need for improved quality controls. Here, current industrial graphene synthetic and analytical methods, as well as recent academic advancements in larger‐scale or sustainable synthesis of graphene, defined here as weights more than 200 mg or films larger than 200 cm2, are compiled and reviewed. There is a specific emphasis on recent research in the use of flash Joule heating as a rapid, efficient, and scalable method to produce graphene and other 2D nanomaterials. Reactor design, synthetic strategies, safety considerations, feedstock selection, Raman spectroscopy, and future outlooks for flash Joule heating syntheses are presented. To conclude, the remaining challenges and opportunities in the larger‐scale synthesis of graphene and a perspective on the broader use of flash Joule heating for larger‐scale 2D materials synthesis are discussed.

Holey and Wrinkled Flash Graphene from Mixed Plastic Waste

“…A number of LCAs exist for the synthesis of graphene oxide, which is commonly used to synthesize high surface area graphene. In the literature, LCAs that estimated production of CO 2 as a result of graphene synthesis ranged from 86 to 320 g of CO 2 produced for every 1 g of graphene product. − These values are provided for reference; a complete LCA has not been conducted for this process, so we cannot directly compare the FJH cumulative emissions to other current processes or draw conclusions if the FJH process produces more or less CO 2 over the life cycle. Rather, we hope to illustrate that the 1.7 g of CO 2 evolved directly from the Ca­(OAc) 2 per 1 g of HWFG synthesized is minor compared to other processes.…”

Ultrafast Preparation of Nonequilibrium FeNi Spinels by Magnetic Induction Heating for Unprecedented Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysis

“…Despite the progress, the toolbox for such sample synthesis has been limited, and the range of materials that can be produced and the extent of structural engineering remain narrow. Thus, further development of effective protocols for the synthesis of materials with unprecedented structures and properties is of both fundamental and technological significance [ 27 , 28 ]. In electrochemical water splitting, OER has been recognized as a major bottleneck that limits the overall performance because of complex reaction pathways and sluggish electron-transfer kinetics [ 17 ], and FeNi (oxy)hydroxides and spinel oxides have been extensively studied as viable alternatives to the traditional, noble metal-based commercial catalysts [ 29 – 34 ], where manipulation of the occupation of the e g orbitals of the octahedral metals and/or metal-oxygen covalency represents the leading strategies for further enhancement of the OER activity [ 30 ].…”

Carbon Nanomaterials (CNMs) and Enzymes: From Nanozymes to CNM-Enzyme Conjugates and Biodegradation

“…Applications are similar to CNTs, and they include composite reinforcement [ 188 ], wearable [ 189 ] and flexible electronics [ 190 , 191 ], including memory devices [ 192 ] and even stretchable batteries [ 193 ], energy storage [ 194 ] and conversion [ 195 , 196 , 197 , 198 ], environmental remediation [ 199 , 200 ], varying types of catalysis [ 201 , 202 , 203 , 204 ], and innovative uses in the healthcare sector [ 205 ], such as regenerative medicine [ 206 ] and sensing [ 207 , 208 ]. In this case, large-scale, cost-effective production of high-quality G [ 209 , 210 ] and standardization are key for the translation of G properties into commodity products at a global level [ 211 ].…”