Nanosecond pulsed laser ablation of synthetic graphite in liquids for the synthesis of spherical graphene

Pulsed laser ablation in liquids has become a simple, fast, and environmentally friendly method for the synthesis of carbon nanostructures since it does not require the use of toxic chemicals. The great advantage of this method is its ability to control the size, shape, and structure of the products by combining parameters of the laser, target material, and liquid. By ablation of two types of synthetic graphite with a high-power copper vapor laser in ethanol and distilled water, spherical graphene was obtained. The composition of the gas phase and the condensation temperature of carbon in the temperature range of 1000–5000 K were determined by means of thermodynamic modeling. The precursors for the formation of spherical graphene during laser ablation in alcohol and water are discussed.