Purification and Nitrogen Doping of Nanothin Exfoliated Graphite Through RF Thermal Plasma Treatment.

A mixture of nanothin exfoliated (NTE) graphite and urea (CO(NH)) powder was treated with radio frequency (RF) thermal plasma to achieve in situ purification and nitrogen doping of NTE graphite using the high-temperature flame of the RF plasma. Reactive species such as NH, NH, and HCNO generated by the thermolysis of urea play an important role in the purification and nitrogen doping of NTE graphite. The nitrogen content of NTE graphite subjected to plasma treatment increased by 5 times compared with that of raw NTE graphite.