Nanographite sheets derived from polyaniline nanocoating of cellulose nanofibers

A simple chemical approach for the fabrication of nanographite sheets has been developed by denitrogenation of polyaniline thin layers deposited as a coating on natural cellulose nanofibers as in ordinary filter paper. The crystalline domains on the cellulose nanofiber surface directed the adsorption and further polymerization of aniline monomers to form well-aligned polyaniline layers. Treatment of the filter paper with the deposited polyaniline with a sodium hydroxide/urea aqueous solution at −20 °C resulted in both the removal of the cellulose and the formation of well-structured nanographite sheets.