Researchers discover simpler, greener way to produce graphene

Described in the June edition of the Journal of Materials Chemistry, the method involves converting carbon dioxide directly into few layer graphene by burning pure magnesium metal in dry ice. "It is scientifically proven that burning magnesium metal in carbon dioxide produces carbon, but the formation of this carbon with few layer graphene as the major product has neither been identified nor proven as such until our current report," claimed Narayan Hosmane, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Northern Illinois University, who led the team. Hosmane believes the process could be used to produce few layer graphene in large quantities. "Up until now, graphene has been synthesised by various methods utilising hazardous chemicals and tedious techniques," he said. "This new method is simple, green and cost effective." "It's a very simple technique that's been done by scientists before," added Amartya Chakrabarti, pictured, a post doctoral research associate in chemistry and biochemistry. "But nobody actually closely examined the structure of the carbon that had been produced. We initially set out to produce single wall carbon nanotubes. The result surprised us all."