Plasma Electrolytic Graphite Oxidation for Toxic Chemical Elimination

The patent converts the harmful chemical oxidation process into a beneficial plasma electrolytic oxidation process. Instead of using toxic chemicals like KMnO4 and H2SO4, the invention uses plasma electrolysis in a basic electrolyte solution to oxidize graphite to graphite oxide, which is then reduced to graphene. This converts a harmful chemical process into a cleaner, safer process that eliminates toxic waste while maintaining the desired oxidation function.

The patent changes the fundamental parameters of the oxidation process by switching from chemical reagents to plasma electrolysis. The oxidation is achieved through electrochemical reactions in a basic electrolyte solution under plasma conditions, fundamentally changing the reaction mechanism from chemical to electrochemical-plasma, thereby eliminating the need for toxic chemicals while achieving the same oxidation of graphite.

The patent inverts the traditional plasma generation approach by using a simple graphite cathode instead of a complex micro-plasma generating cathode with Argon gas. The plasma is generated at the graphite electrode surface through electrochemical reactions in the basic electrolyte, eliminating the need for special cathode structures and gas supply systems while maintaining effective plasma-assisted exfoliation.

The graphite electrode itself serves dual functions: as the substrate to be processed and as the plasma generation site. The graphite cathode automatically generates plasma at its surface during electrolysis in the basic electrolyte solution, eliminating the need for external plasma generation equipment or special cathode designs. The system uses its own components to generate the necessary plasma for exfoliation.