Effective preparation of graphite nanoparticles using mechanochemical solid-state reactions

• Mechanochemical milling control of graphite (Gp) particle structures was investigated.
• The Gp nanoparticles were obtained at room temperature under argon atmosphere.
• The fractured and agglomerated Gp exhibits active dangling bondings.
• The dissociative Gp edges as compared with internal surfaces increased with the milling.
• Low environmental burden process for preparing Gp nanoparticles was achieved.

The mechanochemical milling was utilized to control the nanostructures of plate-like graphite (Gp) microparticles in an argon atmosphere and at room temperature. The aggregated Gp nanoparticles were prepared by the simple solid-state process without organic solvent. Electron microscope observations, X-ray diffraction patterns and Raman spectra revealed the fractured plate-like Gp microparticles as well as the Gp microparticles agglomerated to each other through the dissociative edge surfaces by the milling process to finally generate the Gp nanoparticle aggregates. In the process, the ratio of the edge plane surfaces with the dangling bondings to layered internal surfaces clearly increased with the milling. Therefore, the low environmental burden process for preparing the Gp nanoparticle aggregation was achieved.

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