Controllable synthesis of graphene sheets with different numbers of layers and effect of the number of graphene layers on the specific capacity of anode material in lithium-ion batteries

High quality graphene sheets are synthesized through efficient oxidation process followed by rapid thermal expansion and reduction by H2. The number of graphene layers is controlled by tuning the oxidation degree of GOs. The higher the oxidation degree of GOs is getting, the fewer the numbers of graphene layers can be obtained. The material is characterized by elemental analysis, thermo-gravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies. The obtained graphene sheets with single, triple and quintuplicate layers as anode materials exhibit a high reversible capacity of 1175, 1007, and 842 mA h g−1, respectively, which show that the graphene sheets with fewer layers have higher reversible capacity.

The typical TEM images of the graphene sheets derived from GO3(a), GO2(b) and GO1(c).Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights
► With the oxidation degree of GO increasing, the numbers of graphene layers decreased.
► With the numbers of graphene layers decreasing, the reversible capacity improved.
► Graphene sheets with single-layer exhibit the best electrochemical performances.