100-Gram Batch Production of Graphene Using High-Power Rapid Joule Heating Method

Graphene has a vast market demand in the industrial field, but the high cost and complexity of traditional production methods limit its application. The newly developed flash Joule heating method based on capacitor discharge presents a cost-effective production alternative for graphene, but the batch yield is still limited in gram-scale. This study presents a rapid Joule heating (RJH) method based on direct current power discharge to enable large-scale graphene production. Utilizing a high-power RJH system, we can rapidly heat 100 grams of carbon black to 3000°C within minutes, promoting its graphitization transformation, thus achieving a substantial increase in graphene production efficiency. Detailed characterizations confirm the successful synthesis of high-quality turbostratic rapid graphene (RG), with production energy consumption of only ~5 kWh kg-1 (0.5 $ kg-1). Furthermore, by adding boron oxide and melamine as additives, direct mass production of boron, nitrogen, and nitrogen-boron co-doped RGs can be carried out. Doping modifies the local structure of RG, thereby enhancing its hydrophobicity and electrical conductivity. This work is expected to accelerate the process of low-cost bulk production of graphene and its industrial applications.