Synthesis of graphene derivatives from asphaltenes and effect of carbonization temperature on their structural parameters.

A method for synthesizing graphene derivatives from asphaltene is proposed in this work. The graphene derivatives are mainly composed of few-layer graphene-like nano-sheets of randomly distributed heteroatoms; mainly sulfur and nitrogen. The proposed method is based on a thermal treatment in which asphaltene is carbonized in a rotating quartz-tube furnace under an inert atmosphere at a temperature in the range of 400-950 °C.