Conductive Graphene–Melamine Sponge Prepared via Microwave Irradiation

A conductive graphene–melamine sponge (MS) prepared via microwave irradiation is reported in this paper. Graphene oxide supported on the MS was prereduced first at 100 °C and then further reduced in a household microwave oven at over 1000 °C. It was surprising to find that graphene oxide on the MS was reduced perfectly while the three-dimensional structure of the MS was kept well after high-temperature reduction via microwave irradiation. Slight pyrolysis of MS was also found during 5 s microwave irradiation, resulting in nitrogen generation from the pyrolysis of the MS being doped into graphene, which could benefit the electric conductivity of the prepared graphene–MS. The electric conductivity of the prepared graphene–MS is about 0.12–1.0 S/m because of the high reduction degree of graphene oxide and nitrogen doping. On the other hand, different from the pure MS, the newly developed conductive graphene–MS possesses superhydrophobic and superoleophilic properties. Overall, the newly developed conductive graphene–MS contained 94.3 wt % MS and 5.7 wt % N-doped graphene and is a cost-effective material with good elasticity, high conductivity, superhydrophobicity, and superoleophilicity.