A Kinetic Model for Exfoliation Kinetics of Layered Materials.

Exfoliation of two-dimensional materials is key to obtaining high-performance properties. We present a simple kinetic model for exfoliation that is readily solved analytically. Random and irreversible sheet separation is postulated in the presence of highly effective stabilizers. This model appears to quantitatively fit graphene exfoliation data, and it illuminates mechanistic aspects of exfoliation. Thicker sheets exfoliate much faster than trilayer and bilayer sheets. Exfoliation follows highly activated diffusion-controlled intercalation of stabilizer into inter-sheet galleries. Application to the most concentrated graphene exfoliation data available supports these assumptions and provides insight for practical treatment regimens.