Provided is a method of producing a graphite film having a high thermal diffusivity, the method including heat-treating, at a temperature of not lower than 2,400 C., a polyimide film or a carbonized film obtained by carbonizing the polyimide film, the polyimide film (i) having a thickness of not less than 34 m and not more than 42 m and a birefringence of not less than 0.1000 and (ii) being obtained with use of (a) an acid dianhydride component containing not less than 70 mol % of PMDA and (b) a diamine component containing not less than 70 mol % of ODA.

The present invention relates to a novel dispersing agent capable of uniformly dispersing a variety of carbon-based materials in different media including aqueous solvents and a preparation method thereof, and a carbon-based material-dispersed composition including the same. The dispersing agent is a mixture of a plurality of polyaromatic hydrocarbon oxides, and the mixture includes polyaromatic hydrocarbon oxide having a molecular weight of 300 to 1000 in an amount of 60% by weight or more.

A graphitization furnace includes: a first electrode; a second electrode disposed so as to face the first electrode; a first energized heating element provided on a surface of the first electrode facing the second electrode; and a second energized heating element provided on a surface of the second electrode facing the first electrode. The first and second energized heating elements are configured to allow to be disposed therebetween, an object to be processed. The graphitization furnace is configured to heat and graphitize the object to be processed disposed between the first and second energized heating elements by energizing between the first and second electrodes.

A single-crystal graphene sheet includes a polycyclic aromatic molecule wherein a plurality of carbon atoms are covalently bound to each other, the single-crystal graphene sheet comprising between about 1 layer to about 300 layers; and wherein a peak ratio of a Raman D band intensity to a Raman G band intensity is equal to or less than 0.2. Also described is a method for preparing a single-crystal graphene sheet, the method includes forming a catalyst layer, which includes a single-crystal graphitizing metal catalyst sheet; disposing a carbonaceous material on the catalyst layer; and heat-treating the catalyst layer and the carbonaceous material in at least one of an inert atmosphere and a reducing atmosphere. Also described is a transparent electrode including a single-crystal graphene sheet.

The graphite structure includes a plurality of domains of graphite where a layer body of graphene sheets is curved in domelike, wherein the plurality of domains are arranged in plane, and the domains adjacent each other are in contact with each other.

Methods for dissolving carbon materials such as, for example, graphite, graphite oxide, oxidized graphene nanoribbons and reduced graphene nanoribbons in a solvent containing at least one superacid are described herein. Both isotropic and liquid crystalline solutions can be produced, depending on the concentration of the carbon material The superacid solutions can be formed into articles such as, for example, fibers and films, mixed with other materials such as, for example, polymers, or used for functionalization of the carbon material. The superacid results in exfoliation of the carbon material to produce individual particles of the carbon material. In some embodiments, graphite or graphite oxide is dissolved in a solvent containing at least one superacid to form graphene or graphene oxide, which can be subsequently isolated. In some embodiments, liquid crystalline solutions of oxidized graphene nanoribbons in water are also described.

It is possible to obtain a graphite film with its shape controlled, by performing a sag controlling step of controlling temperatures of a polymer film at both widthwise ends and a temperature of the polymer film in a widthwise middle portion within a temperature range from a starting temperature of thermal decomposition of the polymer film to a sag controlling temperature of the polymer film.

A unitary graphene layer or graphene single crystal containing closely packed and chemically bonded parallel graphene planes having an inter-graphene plane spacing of 0.335 to 0.40 nm and an oxygen content of 0.01% to 10% by weight, which unitary graphene layer or graphene single crystal is obtained from heat-treating a graphene oxide gel at a temperature higher than 100 C., wherein the average mis-orientation angle between two graphene planes is less than 10 degrees, more typically less than 5 degrees. The molecules in the graphene oxide gel, upon drying and heat-treating, are chemically interconnected and integrated into a unitary graphene entity containing no discrete graphite flake or graphene platelet. This graphene monolith exhibits a combination of exceptional thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, surface smoothness, surface hardness, and scratch resistance unmatched by any thin-film material of comparable thickness range.

Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for precision fabrication of nanoscale materials and devices. In one aspect, a method to manufacture a nanoscale structure include a process to dissociate a feedstock substance including a gas or a vapor into constituents, in which the constituents include individual atoms and/or molecules. The method includes a process to deposit the constituents on a surface at a particular location. The method includes a process to grow layers layer by layer using two or more particle and/or energy beams to form a material structure, in which the energy beams include at least one of a laser beam or an atomic particle beam.

A patterned graphene or graphitic body is produced by providing a three-dimensionally patterned carbonaceous body; coating the body with a catalytic metal whereby is formed a coating having an inner surface proximal the body and an outer surface distal the body; and annealing the coated body under time and temperature conditions effective to form a graphene or graphitic layer on the outer surface of the catalytic metal coating.