Sustainable bottom-up electrochemical synthesis of few-layer turbostratic graphene from ethanol

ABSTRACT Sustainable and large-scale methods to produce graphene remain a major challenge in materials science. Traditional approaches, such as chemical vapor deposition or chemical exfoliation of graphite oxide are energy-demanding and environmentally damaging. Here we report an electrochemical bottom-up route for the synthesis of few-layer turbostratic graphene from ethanol as the sole carbon precursor. The process involves the formation of a two-dimensional C 1 H 1 -type intermediate, which transforms into randomly oriented graphene layers upon heat-treatment at temperatures above 1300 °C. This approach avoids harsh chemicals or extreme temperatures. Life-cycle analysis estimates an 80% reduction in global warming potential compared to standard chemical exfoliation methods, with a projected production cost below $30/kg. This process offers a low-cost, tunable platform that could accelerate the adoption and implementation of graphene.