Mechanochemical exfoliation of graphite

A facile method to produce few-layer graphene (FLG) nanosheets is developed using protein-assisted mechanical exfoliation. The predominant shear forces that are generated in a planetary ball mill facilitates exfoliation of graphene layers from graphite flakes. The process employs a commonly known protein, Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA), which not only acts as an effective exfoliation agent but also provide stability by preventing restacking of the graphene layers. The latter is demonstrated by the excellent long-term dispersibility of exfoliated graphene in an aqueous BSA solution, which exemplifies a common biological medium. Development of such potentially scalable and toxin-free methods are critical for producing cost-effective biocompatible graphene, enabling numerous possible biomedical and biological applications. A methodical study was performed to identify effect of time and varying concentrations of BSA towards graphene exfoliation. The fabricated product has been characterized usi...