Hydrogenation and exfoliation of graphene using polyamine reagents

• Rapid and facile hydrogenation and exfoliation of graphite
• Hydrogenation of CVD grown graphene with polyamines
• Spectroscopic and chemical analysis of graphane

An efficient hydrogenation and exfoliation of graphene has been accomplished using polyamines as hydrogenation reagents. The source of graphene can be either chemical vapour deposition grown graphene, bulk graphite or highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). Hydrogenation of graphite and HOPG is accompanied by exfoliation yielding suspensions of single-layer and few-layer hydrogenated graphene or graphane. Graphane nanoribbons with aspect ratios greater than ten are produced in abundance during the polyamine hydrogenation of pre-sonicated bulk graphite. Graphane samples have been characterized by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, scanning tunnelling microscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy as well as elemental analysis.

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