Tuning shape of three dimensional graphene sheets

• The shape of 3D graphene sheets synthesized from the reaction between Li2O and CO can be tuned by Li2O particle size.
• The larger Li2O particles, which have a slower reaction with CO, promotes the formation of a better-ordered 3D graphene shape.
• The shape change of 3D graphene from granulated to flower and then to honeycomb can increase its efficiency as a counter electrode catalyst for a DSSC.

3D graphene has been explored as an important material and catalyst for many applications. However, it is still a challenge to tune the shape of 3D graphene sheets. Herein, it is demonstrated that the shapes of 3D graphene sheets, which were synthesized from the reaction between Li2O and CO, are strongly dependent on the particle size of Li2O. When Li2O particle size was very small (about 400 nm), the formed graphene sheets possessed a granulated shape. However, as Li2O particle size increased, the shape of the synthesized graphene sheets changed to flower-structure and then to honeycomb-structure. Furthermore, the shape change of graphene from the granulated to the honeycomb-structured can increase its electro-catalytic efficiency as a counter electrode catalyst for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs).

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