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Making graphene with a DVD burner (hackaday.com)
50 points by anigbrowl on Dec 23, 2012 | hide | past | favorite | 10 comments



So, where can I get some graphite oxide? This looks easier than 3D printing.


There is some interesting information about graphite oxide in Wikipedia (I didn't know the compound) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphite_oxide

After a little googling I found a store: https://graphene-supermarket.com/Graphene_Oxide/Solutions/ (I'm not affiliated with them. I don't ever know them. Verify they are legit.)

I didn't find any strong warning about graphite oxide, but I don't know the compound. If you decide to use it find someone with experience in the laboratory, be careful and RTFSL.


Just a guess- and I could be completely wrong on this, but graphite spray that you use for locks (also has alcohol or some other quick-evaporating liquid in it) might do the trick.

I'm going to mess with this some today. Will report back results. I wonder how long you have to "cook" it with the laser for? I'm also imagining that I'll want to flip the DVD drive upside down so I can keep the liquid mostly in place. Wondering how the spinning will effect it as well.

This is going to be a hell of a messy experiment.

About a year ago I heard how good of a filter for water graphene is, so I bought graphenewater.com. If this is an easier way to make large amounts of graphene, I just might have to put this to use.


They used a lightscribe dvd burner. I am not sure if the laser is much different, but it scribes the "back" side of a dvd.

http://cleantechnica.com/2012/03/17/make-your-own-supercapac...


Hum I guess that the easiest way is to use an electrolytic cell, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrolytic_cell and put graphite (the black thing inside your pencile) to both electrodes... Put an acid solution water and ammoniac will be fine...

I am trying right now... The water is getting less limpid and gasses (I guess O2 and H2) are coming out. I am using a 9 Volts battery.


Tell me more about this! I'm no chemistry major but I'm wondering how it went?


I get graphite oxide in an solution (read + water), I put the solution in a normal cd, I wait so it get dry then I put it in a ligthscribe burner.

And I am stucked, the burner don't want to burn my cd, obviously.

I need something to force it to write...


Well, here comes the Grey Goo! ;)

Seriously, this is cool. I think we're going to try to make some graphene locally, on the basis of this research .. it'd sure be nice to be able to make super-capacitors real cheap! Imagine if we could power RC electronics with the graphene-DVD .. mind-boggling!


Next, we'll add the DVD burner laser to a reprap 3D printer, and print graphene objects.


Ok, now I have to try this.




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