Hello, curious researcher friend Gourav Sharma! Let me provide you with a simple method for synthesizing graphene nanosheets, which are sometimes called graphene nanoplaltes. This method is known as the Hummer's method, which is based on the chemical exfoliation of graphite.
**Materials you'll need:**
- Graphite flakes (easily obtained from a pencil's lead)
- Sulfuric acid (H2SO4)
- Potassium permanganate (KMnO4)
- Deionized water (DI water)
- Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)
- Safety gear: Lab coat, gloves, safety goggles, and a fume hood
**Procedure:**
1. **Prepare the graphite:** Begin with natural graphite flakes. If your source is a pencil's lead, you can scrape off the outer casing to obtain the graphite.
2. **Prepare the acid mixture:** In a fume hood, add a predefined amount of sulfuric acid (usually 23 mL) to a flask or beaker. Slowly add potassium permanganate (usually 6 grams) to the sulfuric acid while stirring continuously. This step generates a mixture of sulfuric acid and an oxidizing agent.
3. **Add the graphite:** Gradually add the graphite flakes to the acid mixture, and stir continuously. The reaction will start to generate heat.
4. **Heat and reflux:** Place the flask or beaker in a water bath and heat it to around 50-60°C. Allow the reaction to reflux for several hours. During this time, the graphite will be oxidized.
5. **Add water:** After refluxing, slowly and carefully add deionized water to the mixture. This will dilute the acids and cool down the reaction.
6. **Neutralize with hydrogen peroxide:** Add hydrogen peroxide to neutralize any excess potassium permanganate and to produce gas bubbles.
7. **Wash and filter:** Wash the resulting suspension several times with DI water. You can filter the solution to collect the graphene nanosheets on the filter paper.
8. **Dry and collect:** Dry the filtered graphene nanosheets in an oven. Once dried, collect the graphene nanosheets.
Please note that this method involves hazardous chemicals and should be performed with the utmost caution in a well-ventilated laboratory while wearing proper safety gear. Always follow your institution's safety guidelines and regulations.
This method provides you Gourav Sharma with graphene oxide (GO), which can be further reduced to obtain reduced graphene oxide (rGO) or used directly for various applications. Enjoy your graphene research journey!
Thanks for your attention. But Its Graphite Oxide procedure not of Graphene Nanoplatlets.
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