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. 2015 Oct 8;2(1):20. doi: 10.1186/s40580-015-0050-x

Table 1.

Comparison of different aromatic ionic surfactants for producing colloidal dispersions of graphene

Surfactant/SA Graphite source/Solvent Sonication procedure/time Yield/Gr-conc. Flake lateral size Thickness/quality Shelf-life Ref.
Inline graphic SDBS Graphite powder Sigma/Water Low power bath sonication (Branson 1510E-MT) 30 min 0.002-0.05 mg/mL <1μm Majority less than 5 layers. Exact value not given 35 % stable over 30 days 40
Inline graphic TCNQ Expanded Graphite/Water Sonication time 90 min.; type not mentioned. 0.015-0.02 mg/mL 100 nm –few μm Majority 2-3 layers NG 41
Inline graphic Coronene carboxylate (CS) Thermally exfoliated graphite oxide (EG)(5L±1)/water Heating Gr/CS mixtures at 100 oC for 24 hrs. Sonication time 2 hrs at 70 oC; type not mentioned. HG-CS yield given 0.15mg/mL. EG-CS yield not mentioned NG 0.5-1 nm thick 1-2layer flakes NG 42
Arc evaporated graphite in hydrogen atmosphere (HG)(3L±1)/water
Inline graphic Rose Bengal Expanded Graphite by microwave assisted heating/10 % Dimethyl-acetamide aqueous solution Bath sonication 250W/6-10 hrs. 12 wt % <400nm >80 %,2-3layer flakes NG 43
Inline graphic Pyridinium tribromide (Py + Br 3- ) HOPG Bath type sonicator(Branson® 3510R-DTH)/45 min 0.04 mg/mL sub μm to several μms Average thickness 174±105 nm. 75 % single layer Over 1year 44
Inline graphic Diazaperopyrenium dication MP 2+ Graphite powder (Alfa Aesar)/ DMF, Water Sonication time 30 min; type not mentioned NG NG 2-4 layers majority More than 3 weeks 45
Inline graphic Diazapyrenium dication DAP 2+ Graphite powder (Alfa Aesar)/ DMF, Water Time 24 hrs No exfoliation at all. 45
Inline graphic Pyrene-carboxylic acid (Py-COOH) Graphite powder (Sigma)/ Methanol-water (1:4) Bath sonicator (Branson 5510) 45 min sonication in MeOH, 24 hrs sonication in MeOH/H2O. 0.01 mg/mL 100 nm to few μm Less than 10 nm thick few layers. >10 days 49
Inline graphic Pyrene-NH 2 Synthetic graphite (<20 μm) (Sigma)/Water Bath Sonicator (Sonics VX-130, 130W, 45 % power)ice bath, 2hrs 50 % μm range, Average thickness 0.9±3 nm 2 days 47
Inline graphic Pyrene-4SO 3 Synthetic graphite (<20 μm) (Sigma)/water Less than 2 hrs NG NG Average thickness 1.3 -2.6 nm NG 47
Inline graphic Pyrene-1SO 3 Graphite powder /Ehtanol-water (5:1) Bath sonication (US-4R, 40KHz, 10W)/30 min, followed by heating at 450 oC for 2h with SCF shaking. 60 % 1-1.5 μm 0.6-2 nm 60 % 1-2layers. NG 50
Pyrene-1SO 3 Expanded Graphite (Asbury Carbons CAS 7782-425 ,GRADE-3805)/DI-water Tip sonication(Misonix-XL2000, 7W)/1hr. 0.8-1 mg/mL 2-2.5 μm 2-4layers NG 51
Pyrene-4SO 3 Graphite powder (NGS-Germany)/D2O solvent 70 W Probe sonicator(pulse mode in ice bath)/2hrs NG NG 1.29-1.65 nm 90 % single layer NG 46