A green method of graphene preparation in an alkaline environment

• New, simple, quick and ecologically friendly method of exfoliating graphite.
• Stable product for hydrophilic graphene applications.
• Direct preparation of graphene from graphite structures.

We present a new, simple, quick and ecologically friendly method of exfoliating graphite to produce graphene. The method is based on the intercalation of a permanganate M2MnO4 (M = K, Na, Li), which is formed by the reaction of a manganate MMnO4 with an alkali metal hydroxide MOH. The quality of exfoliation and the morphology were determined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and microscopic techniques, including transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. We observed that a stable graphene suspension could be prepared under strongly alkaline conditions in the presence of permanganate and ultrasound assistance. The use of only an alkaline environment for the direct preparation of graphene from graphite structures has not been previously described or applied. It was found that such a method of preparation leads to surprisingly high yields and a stable product for hydrophilic graphene applications.