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Nanotech Energy, Inc Ultra Graphene – Powder

Nanotech Energy Ultra Graphene – Powder is a single layer reduced graphene oxide with low oxygen content, high accessible surface area combined with high conductivity, catalytic activity and dispersible at low concentrations in ethylene glycol, isopropanol, ethyl acetate, chloroform, DMF, NMP, THF, and dichlorobenene.

Functions: Conductive Agent, Conductive Agent

Chemical Family: Graphene & Graphites

Labeling Claims: Odor-free

Features: Good Mechanical Properties, High Catalytic Activity, High Specific Surface Area, Low Oxygen Inhibition

End Uses: Batteries, Capacitors, Fuel Cells, RFID Antennas, Transparent Conductive Coating

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Knowde Enhanced TDS

Identification & Functionality

Chemical Family
Chemical Name
CASE Ingredients Functions
Industrial Additives Functions

Features & Benefits

Labeling Claims

Applications & Uses

Applications

• Batteries
• Supercapacitors
• Sensors
• Conductive Films
• Transparent Conducting Electrodes
• Electronics
• Functional Inks
• Composites
• Catalysis
• Fuel Cells
• Lubricants
• Anti-corrosion Coatings
• Antistatic Coatings
• Thermoelectric Devices
• Hydrogen Storage
• Water Filtration
• Environmental Remediation
• Rfid Antennas
• Structural Materials

How to Disperse Graphene

ULTRA Graphene can be dispersed in organic or aqueous solutions containing a surfactant by applying a mechanical force such as shear mixing, ultrasonic agitation or even ball milling. Solvents for the dispersion of ULTRA Graphene include: ethylene glycol, isopropanol, ethyl acetate, chloroform, DMF, NMP, THF, and dichlorobenzene. To get the best results, we recommend that our customers disperse ULTRA Graphene powders using concentrations up to 0.5 mg/mL, probe sonicate or shear mix the solution for 15 minutes, and centrifuge to remove the large particles.

Nanotech Energy, Inc Ultra Graphene – Powder - Applications

From left to right, dispersions of ULTRA Graphene in ethylene glycol, isopropanol, ethyl acetate, chloroform, DMF, NMP, THF, and dichlorobenzene at 0.1 mg/mL. The dispersions show excellent stability over time even when tested after one week.

Properties

Color
Physical Form
Appearance
Fluffy black powder
Odor
Odorless
Insoluble in
Water
Typical Properties
ValueUnitsTest Method / Conditions
Manufacturing MethodReduction of GO
Carbon Content (XPS)96.5%ISO standard: ISO_TS_21356-1_2021
Oxygen Content (XPS)3.1%ISO standard: ISO_TS_21356-1_2021
Ash Contentmax. 0.5%ISO standard: ISO_TS_21356-1_2021
Surface Area (BET nitrogen)887 - 1015m²/gISO standard: ISO_TS_21356-1_2021
Electrical Conductivity3000 - 4000S/mISO standard: ISO_TS_21356-1_2021
Apparent Density (Tapped)0.0015 - 0.0030g/cm³ISO standard: ISO_TS_21356-1_2021
Particle Size Distribution Of Bulk Powder (D10)7.09µmHoriba LA-960N laser scattering particle size analyzer.
Particle Size Distribution Of Bulk Powder (D50)12.1µmHoriba LA-960N laser scattering particle size analyzer.
Particle Size Distribution Of Bulk Powder (D90)19.3µmHoriba LA-960N laser scattering particle size analyzer.
Lateral Size of rGO Flakes (D10)0.2µmSEM of a rGO film
Lateral Size of rGO Flakes (D50)0.36µmSEM of a rGO film
Lateral Size of rGO Flakes (D90)0.65µmSEM of a rGO film

Technical Details & Test Data

Technical Analysis

Elemental Analysis

Description Value Unit
Carbon (Weight) 85 - 88 %
Hydrogen (Weight) 0.7 - 0.9 %
Nitrogen (Weight) max. 0.3 %
Oxygen (Weight) 2 - 6 %

From elemental analysis, oxygen content of ULTRA Graphene goes further down to ~5 wt%, showing effective removal of most oxygen containing functional groups from graphene oxide.

Raman Spectroscopy

Nanotech Energy, Inc Ultra Graphene – Powder - Technical Analysis

The Raman spectrum of ULTRA Graphene features the D band at 1350 cm-1, the G band at 1580 cm-1 and the appearance of the 2D band at 2690 cm-1 and the D+G band at 2900 cm-1 after the reduction of GO verifying the recovery of sp2 conjugation in ULTRA Graphene.

XPS Analysis

The purity of ULTRA Graphene is further demonstrated from XPS analysis, showing the dominance of carbon (96.5 at%) with small content of oxygen (3.1 at%). The high-resolution C1s spectrum of ULTRA Graphene confirms the recovery of sp2 carbon (68.8%) in comparison with sp3 carbon (7.4%), C-O (7.2%), C=O (2.3), and O-C=O (9.4%).

Nanotech Energy, Inc Ultra Graphene – Powder - Technical Analysis - 1

C Species Peak BE (eV) Percentage (%)
sp2 284.5 68.8
sp3 285.6 7.4
C-O 287 7.2
C=O 288 2.3
O-C=O 290.9 9.4

 

X-ray Diffraction

The powder XRD pattern of ULTRA Graphene is featureless across the spectrum range (5-45°), confirming the true exfoliated monolayer nature of the material.

Nanotech Energy, Inc Ultra Graphene – Powder - Technical Analysis - 2

Thermal Analysis

ULTRA Graphene is stable against heat in AIR at temperatures approaching 500 °C, undergoing complete combustion at about 490 and 610 °C.

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Size Distribution

The particle size distribution of the ULTRA Graphene bulk powder was measured using a Horiba LA-960N laser scattering particle size analyzer, showing D10 of 7.09 µm, D50 of 12.1 µm, and D90 of 19.3 µm. When dispersed into various polar solvents, ULTRA Graphene can resume the individual nanosheet state and uniformly casted onto various substrates, exhibiting the flake size distribution with D10 of 0.20 µm, D50 of 0.36 µm, and D90 of 0.65 µm.

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SEM Imaging (Bulk Powder)

Ultra Graphene powders under SEM exhibit a foam-like structure that is fully expanded and made of individual graphene nanosheets. Because of its unique structure, the material demonstrates remarkable surface area and electronic conductivity.

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SEM Imaging (Dispersed Nanosheets)

After dispersing into solution, ULTRA Graphene can be casted onto various substrates with little to no restacking due to the “unflatness” of the graphene nanosheets.

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TEM Imaging

TEM images of the graphene powder (without liquid solution processing) reveal the individual graphene nanosheets, the basic building blocks that make up the 3D framework of ULTRA Graphene. Although the dry particles are made up of hundreds of graphene sheets, the particles (image on the left) appear transparent to the electron beam, again confirming the well-separated graphene sheets in the product. This was made possible through the introduction of massive wrinkles and ridges in the basal planes of graphene. This unique structure prevents the collapse and restacking of graphene sheets under the influence of van der Waals interactions.

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AFM Imaging

AFM provides additional confirmation for the SEM and TEM results. A graphene film coated onto freshly cleaved mica shows the numerous wrinkles and crumpling in the basal planes of graphene, which again contribute to the higher surface area of the material.

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