Machining induced transformation of graphite flakes to graphite/graphene nanoplatelets

A mechanical exfoliation technique to produce exfoliated graphite-graphene nanoplatelet dispersion as a byproduct of aqueous graphite-based lubricant-assisted metal cutting is presented here. Low cutting speed oscillatory orthogonal metal cutting process has been carried out completely immersed in the lubricant containing graphite flakes. Reduction in the thickness of the graphite flakes from around 30 µm to graphite-graphene nanoplatelets with a size range of 1–15 nm is observed after machining. Characterization of the particles depicts low structural order and induced defects. Optimizing the parameters can tune this machining-induced exfoliation technique to produce high-quality defect and disorder free few-layer graphene sheets.