Apparatus and method for preparing graphene by exfoliation of graphite using a pulsed or cavitating waterjet

A graphene preparing apparatus for exfoliating graphite, the apparatus comprising:

• a high-pressure water pump for generating a high-pressure flow of water;
• a pressure vessel for receiving the water and providing a graphite slurry;
• a waterjet nozzle for receiving the graphite slurry into an exfoliation chamber incorporated within the waterjet nozzle and for exfoliating the graphite in the graphite slurry using a pulsed or cavitating waterjet generated by the waterjet nozzle;
• an outlet through which the graphite slurry is expelled from the waterjet nozzle;
• a filtering unit downstream of the waterjet for separating graphene from the slurry;
• and
• a graphene collection tank for collecting the graphene.

A method of exfoliating graphite to make graphene, the method comprising:

• generating a high-pressure flow of water;
• generating a pulsed or cavitating waterjet using the high-pressure flow of water;
• supplying the graphite to an exfoliation chamber;
• and
• exfoliating the graphite in the exfoliation chamber using the pulsed or cavitating waterjet.