Graphene Films Using a Thermally Curable Surfactant

Those surfactants which are easily synthesized, eco-friendly, low cost, and able to produce high yields of graphene are crucial for large-scale graphene manufacture and targeted applications of graphene. This study reports a curable surfactant based on benzoxazine that assists in both the exfoliation process in water with high yield as well as stabilizes the pristine graphene sheets against reaggregation. Freestanding and flexible graphene films are prepared through filtration and subsequent curing of the thermosetting benzoxazine surfactant at a moderate temperature, resulting in high strength as well as high electrical conductivity. Furthermore, graphene films loaded with this curable surfactant are easily transferred onto various substrates. The affinity of the graphene films with the substrate materials has been promoted by the thermal treatment to cure the surfactant. Once cured, the graphene film is highly durable and chemically resistant. In addition, the nature of the benzoxazine resin based surfactant endows this graphene film with excellent biocompatibility.