Nano-graphitic sponges and methods for fabricating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11760640-B2
Application number	US-201917285206-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2019
Priority date	Oct 15, 2018
Publication date	Sep 19, 2023
Grant date	Sep 19, 2023

Abstract

This disclosure provides a nano-graphitic sponge (NGS) and methods for preparing the nano-graphitic sponge. The disclosed nano-graphitic sponge possesses many excellent properties, including large surface areas and pore volumes, low-mass densities, good electrical conductivities and mechanical properties. These excellent properties make the nano-graphitic sponge an ideal material for many applications, such as electrodes for batteries and supercapacitors, fuel cells and solar cells, catalysts and catalyst supports, and sensors.

First claim

We claim:

1. A nano-graphitic sponge, comprising particles selected from the group consisting of graphite microparticles, single-layer graphene nanoparticles, multi-layer graphene nanoparticles, and combinations of two or more thereof,
wherein the particles comprise mechanically exfoliated single- and/or multi-layer graphene nanoparticles,
wherein the nano-graphitic sponge comprises an open cell structure having a plurality of open cells,
wherein the nano-graphitic sponge comprises thermoplastic polymer chains intermolecularly crosslinked to the single- and multi-layer graphene nanoparticles through covalent bonding, and
wherein the nano-graphitic sponge comprises the thermoplastic polymer molecules that are each covalently bonded to one or more the single- and/or multi-layer graphene nanoparticles or wherein the nano-graphitic sponge comprises at least one thermoplastic polymer molecule bonded or adhered to one or more mechanically exfoliated single- or multi-layer graphene nanoparticles.

2. The nano-graphitic sponge of claim 1 , wherein the single- and/or multi-layer graphene nanoparticles are less than 50 nanometers thick along the c-axis direction.

3. The nano-graphitic sponge of claim 1 , wherein the particles account for at least 50% of total sponge weight.

4. The nano-graphitic sponge of claim 1 , wherein the nano-graphitic sponge further comprises a thermoplastic polymer.

5. The nano-graphitic sponge of claim 4 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), sodium polyacrylate, polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA), acrylonitrile, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) co-polymers, polyacrylonitriles (PAN), aromatic thermoplastic polyesters, liquid crystal polymers, polyarylether-ketones, polycarbonates (PC), polyetherether-ketones (PEEK), polyetherimides (PEI), polyetherketones (PEK), polyethylene sulfide (PES), polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyglycolic acid (PGA), polylactic acids (PLA), polylactic-glycolic acid copolymers (PLGA), polyoxymethylene plastic (POM/Acetal), polyphenylene ethers, polyphenylene oxide (PPO), polyphenylene sulfides (PPS), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polysulfones (PSU), polytetrafluoro-ethylene (PTFE/TEFLONO), polyvinylchloride (PVC), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), thermoplastic elastomers, thermosplastic polyimides, ultra-highmolecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), semi-aromatic polyamides, aromatic polyamides, polyamide-11 (nylon-11, polyamide-12 (nylon-12), polyamide-4,6, polyamide-6 (nylon-6), polyamide-6,10, polyamide-6,12, polyamide-6,6 (nylon-6,6), polyamide-6,9, and the mixtures of two or more thereof.

6. The nano-graphitic sponge of claim 1 , wherein single- and multi-layer graphene nanoparticles are doped with other elements to modify a surface chemistry.

7. The nano-graphitic sponge of claim 1 , wherein a surface chemistry or nanostructure of the exfoliated single- and multi-layer graphene nanoparticles is modified to enhance bond strength with the polymer matrix to increase strength and stiffness of the enhanced polymer matrix composite.

8. The nano-graphitic sponge of claim 1 , wherein the mean pore size of the open cells ranges from about 1 nanometer to about 5 millimeters.

9. The nano-graphitic sponge of claim 1 , wherein the open cells comprise an additional element encapsulated therewithin, the additional element selected from the group consisting of Li, S, Si, Na and a combination of two or more thereof.

10. The nano-graphitic sponge of claim 1 , wherein the nano-graphitic sponge is formed into: a block; a thread with a diameter ranging from about 1 micrometer to about 10 millimeters; pellets with a length ranging from about 1 micrometer to about 10 millimeters; a powder form with a size ranging from about 0.1 micrometers to about 100 micrometers; or a sheet/film with a thickness ranging from about 1 micrometer to about 10 millimeters.

Assignees

• Univ Rutgers

Inventors

• Nosker Thomas J
• Kear Bernard H
• Whieb Nofel Z
• Lynch-Branzoi Jennifer K
• Tewatia Arya S

Classifications

• C01B2204/22

  Electronic properties · CPC title

• C01B32/21

  After-treatment · CPC title

• C01B32/20 Primary

  Graphite · CPC title

• C01B32/19 Primary

  by exfoliation · CPC title

• H01M4/622 Primary

  being polymers · CPC title