Exfoliation of layered materials by wet-jet milling techniques

Abstract

A system for the exfoliation of a layered material is described, comprising in combination: an exfoliation station (14-22) operating on a volume of a dispersion of a layered precursor material, including a wet-jet milling device (10); and a collecting station (30, 40), located downstream of the exfoliation station (14-22), operating on a volume of a dispersion of the at least partly exfoliated material, in which the exfoliation station (14-22) and the collecting station (30, 40) are connected to each other through a fluid communication path (20) along which there are interposed flow regulatingmeans (50) adapted to assume a first operating configuration in which the communication path (20) between the exfoliation station (14-22) and the collecting station (30, 40) is discontinued, where the exfoliation station (14-22) is adapted to subject a volume of dispersion of layered precursor material to a predetermined number of wet-jet milling cycles; and a second operating configuration in which the communication path (20) between the exfoliation station (14-22) and the collecting station (30, 40) is continuous, where the exfoliation station (14-22) is adapted to convey a volume of previously milled dispersion including at least partly exfoliated material to the collecting station (30, 40) and is placed in communication with a supply chamber (12) to be fed with a further volume of a dispersion of layered precursor material that has to be exfoliated.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to methods for exfoliating layered materials, more particularly to exfoliating layered materials by hydrodynamic means, in particular by liquid-jet micronization techniques, more commonly known as wet-jet (wet-jet) milling techniques. material method. [0002] In particular, the present invention relates to a system and a method for peeling off layered material. Background technique [0003] The exfoliation of materials with a layered crystal habit (such as, for example, graphite, boron nitride, tungsten(IV) disulphide, tungsten(IV) diselenide, molybdenum disulphide, bismuth telluride and black phosphorus) is important in fundamental and applied research background and in the context of industrial production in relation to the technical field of two-dimensional material manufacturing is a difficult process. [0004] Mechanical exfoliation of layered materials is a widely used technique for obtaining high-quality 2D flake...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0012] In general, known hydrodynamic milling techniques do not achieve efficient exfoliation of layered materials, and although suitable for manufacturing them on an industrial scale, they cannot be considered effective for ultrasonic treatment for the production of high-quality nano-sized two-dimensional sheets. Alternative processes (i.e., thin sheets with a single layer of atoms or few layers of atoms)

These techniques cannot be used to obtain materials needed for specific technological applications, such as graphene flakes for formulating inks

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