Synthesis of Graphite to Graphene with Magnetic Water: Molecular Dynamic Simulation and Experimental

There is an increasing demand for mass graphene production via a simple, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective method. In this study, a versatile method was developed to prepare high-quality mono/bilayer graphene using magnetic water. Graphene nanosheets were synthesized through this method and then were characterized. A Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation was also performed to determine the effect of magnetic water on graphite exfoliation. Magnetic water was created in the laboratory by flowing water between two 7000-gauss magnets for periods of two to six hours. The durability of magnetic water was studied using a Magnetometer-Based Diagnostic Test. Then, generated magnetic water was added to the graphite. By adding magnetic water, the graphite absorbed more energy, creating more space among graphite layers by weakening and breaking van der Waals bonds and forming high-quality graphene. Finally, mono/bilayer graphene formation was confirmed via RAMAN, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) tests. Based on the results, using magnetic water increased graphene yield to almost 67%, while simulation studies predicted a yield of 70%. In addition, MD simulations indicated that 35 graphene nanosheets were separated, with a total of 1252 carbon atoms among them. The results of this investigation indicate that the graphene nanosheets can be effectively produced using magnetic water.