Research progress of functional graphene prepared by thermo exfoliation method

The reduction of graphite oxide was the most possible method to achieve mass production of graphene. A number of methods have been developed to exfoliate graphite oxide, and each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. Thermal exfoliation was the most economical way to obtain large quantities of graphene especially functional graphene. The exfoliation mechanism was mainly based on that the sudden expansion gases evolved into the spaces between graphene sheets during the heat-treatment process of graphite oxide. Thermal exfoliation can be realized when the sudden expansion gases pressure overcomed the attractive van der Waals inter-actions between layers. However, different oxidation and reduction processes make the functional graphene with different properties. In this paper, current research was reviewed, the mechanism of the oxidation and thermal exfoliation was discussed, which may contribute us to effectively use the controllable factors to partially control the preparation of functional graphene.