Preparation of Carbon Nanosheets Using SB3-12 as a Carbon Source

Carbon nanomaterials, as pivotal representatives of forefront nanotechnologies, are advancing at a remarkable pace, driving global scientific, industrial, and socio-economic progress. To explore a straightforward yet effective route for the precise control over the morphology and dimensions of carbon nanostructures, this study employed a confined in-situ carbonization strategy. This approach successfully enabled the efficient synthesis of carbon nanosheets with tunable thicknesses under varied synthesis conditions. The resulting carbon nanosheets were systematically characterized using a comprehensive suite of analytical techniques. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to examine their morphology and thickness, while Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy provided insights into their graphitic structure, crystallinity, and surface functional groups, respectively. Additionally, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) was utilized for elemental analysis. The data collected from these techniques were integral in guiding and refining the subsequent experimental design. It was hypothesized that by carefully modulating key synthesis parameters—primarily the concentration of the surfactant SB3-12, but also other conditions such as reaction temperature—carbon nanosheets could be efficiently synthesized within a unique reaction environment created by the physical encapsulation of a concentrated potassium sulphate solution. This experimental investigation holds significant value, as it contributes meaningful insights into the development of controllable synthetic methodologies for carbon nanostructures and provides a foundation for future research and application developments in this promising field.