A method of forming graphite includes carbonizing an upgraded coal, to form a carbonized upgraded coal. The method also includes graphitizing the carbonized upgraded coal, to form the graphite.

Methods for the bottom-up growth of graphene nanoribbons are provided. The methods utilize small aromatic molecular seeds to initiate the anisotropic chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth of graphene nanoribbons having low size polydispersities on the surface of a growth substrate. The aromatic molecular seeds include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), functionalized derivatives of PAHs, heterocyclic aromatic molecules, and metal complexes of heterocyclic aromatic molecules.

Provided herein are graphene nanoribbons with high structural uniformity and low levels of impurities and methods of synthesis thereof. Also provided herein are graphene nanoplatelets of superior structural uniformity and low levels of impurities and methods of synthesis thereof. Further provided herein are mixtures of graphene nanoribbons and graphene nanoplatelets of good structural uniformity and low levels of impurities and methods of synthesis thereof. The method includes, for example, the steps of depositing catalyst on a constantly moving substrate, forming carbon nanotubes on the substrate, separating carbon nanotubes from the substrate, collecting the carbon nanotubes from the surface where the substrate moves continuously and sequentially through the depositing, forming, separating and collecting steps. Further processing steps convert the synthesized carbon nanotubes to graphene nanoribbons, graphene nanoplatelets and mixtures thereof.

Various chemical structures of precursors for armchair graphene nanoribbons (AGNRs) are disclosed, along with a C method of manufacturing.

A graphene nanoribbon precursor having a structural formula represented by a following chemical formula (1), wherein in the following chemical formula (1): n is an integer greater than or equal to 0; X is bromine, iodine or chlorine; and Y is hydrogen or fluorine.

The embodiments herein provide a facile four-step process for the preparation of binder-free graphene felts that are free standing and mechanically robust. The step of deagglomeration of graphene material leads to a uniform size distribution which when combined/integrated with an appropriate moulding technique allows an easy fine tuning of various attributes of graphene felts including electrical conductivity, porosity, surface area, surface morphology and surface functionalization depending on the desired application. Since graphene felts obtained from this process do not incorporate any binder, to achieve better electrical conductivity, electrochemical activity and catalytic and sensing properties compared to conventional graphene felts while not compromising with their mechanical properties.

A method of forming vertical graphene nanostripes comprising one or several monolayers and characterized by a thickness normal to the one or several monolayers, a length orthogonal to the thickness, and a width orthogonal to the thickness includes providing a substrate, subjecting the substrate to a reduced pressure environment in a processing chamber, and providing methane gas and C.sub.6-containing precursor. The method also includes flowing the methane gas and the C.sub.6-containing precursor into the processing chamber, establishing a partial pressure ratio of the C.sub.6-containing precursor to methane gas in the processing chamber, and generating a plasma. The method further includes exposing at least a portion of the substrate to the methane gas, the C.sub.6-containing precursor, and the plasma and growing the vertical graphene nanostripes coupled to the at least a portion of the substrate, wherein the thickness of the vertical graphene nanostripes extends parallel to the substrate.

3D graphene optical sensors, such as microstructure sensors and nanostructure sensors. The 3D optical sensors include one or more graphene panels shaped to surround an interior, open volume. Graphene plasmons couple across the interior, open volume. The 3D optical sensors can have a polygonal shape or a cylindrical shape.

Provided herein are graphene nanoribbons with high structural uniformity and low levels of impurities and methods of synthesis thereof. Also provided herein are graphene nanoplatelets of superior structural uniformity and low levels of impurities and methods of synthesis thereof. Further provided herein are mixtures of graphene nanoribbons and graphene nanoplatelets of good structural uniformity and low levels of impurities and methods of synthesis thereof. The method includes, for example, the steps of depositing catalyst on a constantly moving substrate, forming carbon nanotubes on the substrate, separating carbon nanotubes from the substrate, collecting the carbon nanotubes from the surface where the substrate moves continuously and sequentially through the depositing, forming, separating and collecting steps. Further processing steps convert the synthesized carbon nanotubes to graphene nanoribbons, graphene nanoplatelets and mixtures thereof.

The disclosure provides for crystalline graphene nanoribbon-covalent organic frameworks (GNR-COFs) that have a two-dimensional (2D) sheet or film morphology, methods of making thereof, and uses thereof.