Microwave Expansion Furnace for Graphene (oxide)

Microwave irradiation provides an alternative to the conventional methods, for heating or introducing energy into the system. It utilizes the ability of mobile electric charges present in liquid or conducting ions in solid to transform electromagnetic energy into heat. Microwave radiations are electromagnetic waves. In the electromagnetic spectrum, the microwave radiation region is located between infrared radiation and radio waves. Microwaves have wavelength of 1 mm to 1 m corresponding to frequencies between 0.3 and 300 GHz. Telecommunication and microwave radar equipment occupy many of the band frequencies in this region. Microwave dielectric heating; uses the ability of some liquids and solids to transform electromagnetic radiation into heat to drive chemical reactions. This technology opens up new opportunities to the synthetic chemist in the form of new reactions that are not possible using conventional heating.

Microwave Expansion/ thermal reduction mechanism:

Intercalation agent molecules and functional group are vaporized and decomposed under microwave irradiation, generating enough force to overcome the van der Waals force between adjacent layers of graphite and expanding and reducing the graphite along the c-axis, in the exfoliation process.