The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a monocrystalline graphene layer, comprising the steps of: forming polycrystalline graphene on a substrate by using a hydrocarbon gas to grow a graphene layer aligned on a wafer-scale insulator substrate in one direction like a monocrystal; forming a catalyst on the polycrystalline graphene; and recrystallizing the polycrystalline graphene to monocrystalline graphene by heat-treating the polycrystalline graphene and the catalyst.

The present invention provides a magnetic graphene-like nanoparticle or graphitic nano- or microparticle. The magnetic graphene-like nanoparticle or graphitic nano- or microparticle of the invention exhibits a high relaxivity, and is useful as a MRI contrast agent. The present invention also provides a composition for use with MRI imaging, comprising a sufficient amount of the magnetic graphene-like nanoparticles or graphitic nano- or microparticles and one or more physiologically acceptable carriers or excipients. The present invention also provides methods of using the magnetic graphene-like nanoparticles or graphitic nano- or microparticles as MRI contrast agents. The present invention further provides methods of producing the magnetic graphene-like nanoparticle or graphitic nano- or microparticle.

A magnetic graphene-like nanoparticle or graphitic nano- or microparticle exhibits a high relaxivity, and is useful as a MRI contrast agent. A composition for use with MRI imaging, comprising a sufficient amount of the magnetic graphene-like nanoparticles or graphitic nano- or microparticles and one or more physiologically acceptable carriers or excipients. Methods of using the magnetic graphene-like nanoparticles or graphitic nano- or microparticles as MRI contrast agents. Methods of producing the magnetic graphene-like nanoparticle or graphitic nano- or microparticle.

A process for the preparation of reduced graphene comprising the steps of: providing an expandable graphite intercalated with oxygen containing groups; heating the expandable graphite under conditions sufficient to cause expansion of the expandable graphite and formation of an expanded graphite comprising oxygen containing groups; and contacting the expanded graphite with carbon monoxide to reduce at least a portion of the oxygen containing groups and form a reduced expanded graphite comprising an array of reduced graphene. The process of the invention enables large volumes of high quality graphene to be produced.

The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a monocrystalline graphene layer, comprising the steps of: forming polycrystalline graphene on a substrate by using a hydrocarbon gas to grow a graphene layer aligned on a wafer-scale insulator substrate in one direction like a monocrystal; forming a catalyst on the polycrystalline graphene; and recrystallizing the polycrystalline graphene to monocrystalline graphene by heat-treating the polycrystalline graphene and the catalyst.

Provided is filtration member for use in a filtration device, said filtration member comprising a layer of woven or nonwoven fabric having two primary surfaces and a layer of chemically functionalized graphite flakes deposited on at least one of the two primary surfaces or embedded in the layer of woven or nonwoven fabric, wherein said graphite flakes comprise chemical function contain 1%-50% by weight of a non-carbon element selected from O, N, H, F, Cl, Br, I, or a combination thereof. Also provided is a face mask comprising: (a) a mask body configured to cover at least wearer's mouth and nose; and (b) a fastener to hold the mask in place on the wearer's face; wherein the mask body includes (i) an air-permeable outer layer, (ii) an inner layer located on a wearer's side when the mask is worn, and (iii) the filtration member comprising graphite flakes.

This invention in one aspect relates to a method of synthesizing a self-assembled mixed-dimensional heterostructure including 2D metallic borophene and 1D semiconducting armchair-oriented graphene nanoribbons (aGNRs). The method includes depositing boron on a substrate to grow borophene thereon at a substrate temperature in an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) chamber; sequentially depositing 4,4-dibromo-p-terphenyl on the borophene grown substrate at room temperature in the UHV chamber to form a composite structure; and controlling multi-step on-surface coupling reactions of the composite structure to self-assemble a borophene/graphene nanoribbon mixed-dimensional heterostructure. The borophene/aGNR lateral heterointerfaces are structurally and electronically abrupt, thus demonstrating atomically well-defined metal-semiconductor heterojunctions.