Facile and novel hydrothermal preparation of functionalised carbon microspheres from glucose by using graphene sheets as a substrate

We report for the first time a facile and efficient strategy to prepare carbon microspheres by the polymerization of glucose in the presence of graphene under hydrothermal carbonization. The morphologies characterizations of the as-synthesized products confirmed that the technique in this paper acted as a good strategy. A great deal of carbon microspheres with good morphology and uniform diameter were prepared. The structure characterizations indicated that there were many functional groups on the surface while the spheres were mostly amorphous structure. A formation mechanism was proposed that involved curved graphene sheets as a substrate for microsphere formation. As this route is low-cost, green and simple, and the experimental parameters are very easy to control, it may provide a great convenience to study properties and applications of carbon microspheres.

Functionalised carbon microspheres with well-morphology and uniform diameter were the first time synthesized by a facile, efficient and green strategy, using a hydrothermal carbonization from glucose solution assisted by graphene sheets as a substrate.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights
► Graphene sheets were first used to synthesize carbon microspheres as a substrate.
► The preparation method was a noble, low-cost, facile and utterly ‘green’ strategy.
► The amorphous carbon spheres were functionalised microspheres.
► A conformational three-state mechanism for the process of carbon microspheres has been proposed.