Synthesis of Few-Layer Graphene via Solution Combustion Method from Sucrose

Abstract

Solution combustion synthesis (SCS) to make few-layer graphene (FLG) from sucrose was demonstrated. Such a mass-producible and low-cost method is competitive as a candidate for industrial production of graphene. We used sucrose as a carbon source and ammonium nitrate as an oxidizing agent. The synthesized sample had a three-dimensional network and a porous structure with various kinds of sheets and sponge shapes, but after ultrasonication, it included lots of FLG. It was confirmed that the obtained production is highly defective and contains a large number of FLGs which don’t have enough bonding between them and can be easily separated. SEM, SPM, XRD, Raman, and BET analyses were carried out to confirm the characteristics of graphene, which prove ~5–8 layers of graphene. The mechanical properties of nitrile butadiene rubber–graphene (NBR@FLG) composites were investigated by adding the synthesized FLG to NBR. It was confirmed that the addition of 0.5 phr of FLG to NBR increases tensile strength by 2.49 times, elongation by 2.28 times, and hardness by 1.66 times.