Graphene, Fullene, carbon nanotubes … The discovery of these carbon materials has set off a research boom in the scientific research circle.In 2010, the discoverer of graphene was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics.In the same year, Li Yuliang, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a researcher at the Institute of Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the team discovered a new member of a carbon material family: graphite.
Like the discovery of carbon materials before, the discovery of Graphite also set off a surge in research in the scientific community.However, unlike previous carbon materials research, the discovery and research of Gramma’s discovery and research are the examples of research on Chinese scientists to follow up with Chinese scientists.
On the occasion of the National Science and Technology Workers’ Day, in order to fully present the “past life” of graphite research, it tells the story of my country’s scientific and technological workers in the field of graphite research and continuously leading the development of the field. Essence
The world’s first and named graphite 创
Science and Technology Daily Reporter: Please introduce, what exactly is graphite?What are the advantages of this two -dimensional carbon material?
Li Yuliang: Graphite is a new carbon -alien alien body. It is a full carbon material that connects the phenyl ring (SP2 carbon) to form a two -dimensional plane network structure by carbon carbon bond (SP carbon).
Due to rich characteristics such as carbon chemical bonds, large co -coexistence systems, natural hole structures, and band gaps in this sign, Graphite shows huge advantages and advanced nature in terms of growth, assembly and performance regulation., Trequently developed key materials for innovative development such as photoelectric conversion and new model conversion and transformation.
In 2010, for the first time in the world, our research team prepared a graphite -graphite film on a large scale through chemical synthesis, and named it with “graphite”.Since then, the material that does not exist in nature, such as Gramite, is truly presented in front of humans for the first time, adding new members to the carbon material family.The successful preparation of Graphite ended the history of synthetic chemistry that could not prepare all -carbon materials, created a precedent for artificially synthetic new carbon gifted gobies, and opened up a new field of carbon material research.
Science and Technology Daily Reporter: When did you and the team start studying graphite?Why should I pay attention to the research of graphite?
Li Yuliang: From the mid -1990s, we began to explore the synthetic chemistry research of plane carbon. When we synthesized to a dozen carbon atoms, it was difficult to control the synthetic process because the surface tension was too large.In this case, our research is intermittent.Subsequently, we continued to explore methods such as high -temperature solid -phase synthesis, two -phase and multi -phase interface growth. It was found that the products of these methods were too complicated and difficult to separate. It is difficult to ensure that our research has made great progress.
Until 2004, the discovery of graphene touched us strongly.We insisted on our original intention. After 6 years of hard exploration, in 2010, we successfully synthesized the new carbon -allygamin with a two -dimensional structure with the method we created.Our patent covers all carbon -aligned aliens containing three keys.We have continuously enriched the research connotation of graphite, and promoted the foundation and application research of graphite in many fields.
In fact, before the discovery of graphite, the electronic structure of all carbon materials is SP3 or SP2 carbon hybridization. There is no carbon material formed by SP and SP2 carbon.Formed by SP2, their common feature is that the surface charge distribution is evenly distributed.
However, graphite is formed by hybridization of SP and SP2. Its surface charge distribution is extremely uneven, and the surface activity is very high. It is easy to produce peculiar, unpredictable physical and chemical properties.
Therefore, graphite has always been an area that scientists expect to explore, and it is also an important challenge in the field of carbon materials.This is the original intention of why we study graphite.I am very happy that the current research shows that Graphite has demonstrated the nature and performance of reform in the fields of catalytic, energy storage, optoelectronics, optical transformation, information intelligence, transformation and conversion of new models, and life sciences.
Continue to lead research in the field of graphite
Reporter of Science and Technology Daily: What is the international competitive situation on the research of graphite?What is the status of graphite research in our country?
Li Yuliang: Since the first successful synthesis of graphite in 2010, our research team and major domestic research teams jointly troideted, solved basic scientific issues such as graphite control, growth, and clustering state structure., Structural representation technology, etc., and in the fields of catalytic, energy, optoelectronics, life sciences, intelligent information, and new models of material transformation and conversion, etc., have achieved many international research results, and continued to lead research in this field internationally.
Affected by our research on the research of graphite 影响, scientists have also discovered a lot of excellent properties and applications of graphite. At the same time, the preparation methods of graphite are developed.The derivative structure has opened up the new direction of graphite research, making Graphite the most potential new material.
Today, more than 500 research teams in more than 60 countries and regions in the world have conducted research on graphite.In the “2020 Research Frontier” report released by the Chinese Academy of Sciences Science and Technology Strategy Consultation Research Institute, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Cori Wei’an, the research of Graphite has been listed as one of the top ten hotspots in the field of chemistry and material science.
Reporter of Science and Technology Daily: What difficulties did you and the team have encountered in the research of graphite?
Li Yuliang: In the study of graphite, our team encountered many important challenges and difficulties.For example, the discovered carbon materials are composed of SP2 carbon hybridization. If we want to get out of the traditional research atmosphere of SP2 carbon, we must creatively develop new methods. This is very difficult.
At the same time, from the perspective of synthetic chemistry, the precedent of synthetic composite carbon materials has not been used at normal temperatures through synthetic chemistry. It can be imagined that this has increased the difficulty of our research;In terms of design and reaction dynamics and thermodynamics, we have no experience to learn from, these are severe challenges facing.
In addition, from the mid -1990s to Around 2005, my country’s instruments and equipment are relatively old. It is almost impossible to sign a distinction image of carbon atomic arrangement. This also makes us encounter great difficulties in structural signs.
Reporter of Science and Technology Daily: What are the latest progress of your research on Graphite?What potential application prospects have graphite shown now?
Li Yuliang: At present, our graphite research has gained a series of breakthrough progress in the fields of catalytic, energy, optoelectronics, life sciences, information intelligence, and new model material transformation and conversion. These research results are leading in the world.
For example, we have created a zero -price -based metal atom catalyst and established a new concept of atomic catalytic. This is a great breakthrough in the field of electrocatalytic catalytic and realizes the maximum use of atoms.
At the same time, in response to the problem of how to achieve high -efficiency synthetic ammonia under normal temperature, we started from the innovation of concept, breaking the problem faced by traditional catalysts, and successfully preparing synthetic ammonia catalysts with changeable catalytic performance.At present, the three catalysts with the highest production rate in the world are all from the graphite system.
In addition, based on the many special properties of Graphite, in the field of energy storage, we have proposed a new concept of “炔 炔 此 此”, especially in terms of lithium battery fast charging, changing the mechanism of traditional lithium battery fast charging, and established a new lithium battery.Quick charge mode.