▎ 摘　　要

NOVELTY - Production of isolated graphene sheets directly from a supply of graphite mineral powder (40) comprising hexagonal carbon atomic interlayers with an interlayer spacing involves (a) forming an intercalated graphite compound by an electrochemical intercalation procedure which is conducted in an intercalation reactor comprising a liquid solution electrolyte, a working electrode and a counter electrode, and (b) exfoliating the hexagonal carbon atomic interlayers from the intercalated graphite compound using an ultrasonication, thermal shock exposure, and/or mechanical shearing treatment. USE - Production of isolated graphene sheets used in electronic device applications. ADVANTAGE - The method is economical, and environmentally-friendly by eliminating the use of toxic chemicals. DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Production of isolated graphene sheets directly from a supply of graphite mineral powder comprising hexagonal carbon atomic interlayers with an interlayer spacing involves (a) forming an intercalated graphite compound by an electrochemical intercalation procedure which is conducted in an intercalation reactor, and (b) exfoliating and separating the hexagonal carbon atomic interlayers from the intercalated graphite compound using an ultrasonication, thermal shock exposure, and/or mechanical shearing treatment. The reactor contains a liquid solution electrolyte (i) comprising an intercalating agent and a graphene plane-wetting agent dissolved, a working electrode (ii) comprising the graphite mineral powder as an active material in ionic contact the liquid solution electrolyte, and a counter electrode (iii) in ionic contact with the liquid solution electrolyte, in which a current is imposed on the working electrode and the counter electrode at a current density for a duration of time sufficient for effecting electrochemical intercalation of the intercalating agent and/or the wetting agent into the interlayer spacing. The wetting agent is selected from melamine, ammonium sulfate, sodium dodecyl sulfate, sodium (ethylenediamine), tetraalkylammonium, ammonia, carbamide, hexamethylenetetramine, organic amine, pyrene, 1-pyrenecarboxylic acid, 1-pyrenebutyric acid, 1-pyrenamine, and/or poly(sodium-4-styrene sulfonate). DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows a schematic view of an apparatus for the electrochemical intercalation of graphite. Container (32) Anode support plate (34) Cathode (36) Porous separator plate (38) Graphite mineral particles (40)