Electrochemical method for the production of graphene composites and cell for conducting the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11945722-B2
Application number	US-202217567274-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 3, 2022
Priority date	Sep 28, 2016
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

A method of making an electrically conductive composite includes applying graphene oxide to at least one non-conductive porous substrate and then reducing the graphene oxide to graphene via an electrochemical reaction. An electro-chemical cell for causing a reaction that produces an electrically conductive composite includes a first electrode, a second electrode, an ion conductive medium, electrical current in communication with the first electrode, and an optional third electrode having a known electrode potential. The first electrode contains at least one layered electrocatalyst, which includes at least one non-conductive porous substrate coated with graphene oxide and at least a first and second active metal layer comprising a conductive metal in contact with the non-conductive porous substrate coated with graphene oxide.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making an electrically conductive composite comprising:
applying graphene oxide to at least one non-conductive porous substrate; and
reducing the graphene oxide to graphene via an electrochemical reaction, the electrochemical reaction takes place in an electrochemical cell, the electrochemical cell comprising:
a first electrode comprising at least one layered electrocatalyst, wherein the at least one layered electrocatalyst comprises:
the at least one non-conductive porous substrate coated with graphene oxide;
at least a first active metal layer and a second active metal layer, the first active metal layer and the second active metal layer each comprising a conductive metal in contact with the at least one non-conductive porous substrate coated with graphene oxide, wherein the first active metal layer is positioned on a first portion of the at least one non-conductive porous substrate coated with graphene oxide and the second active metal layer is positioned on a second portion of the at least one non-conductive porous substrate coated with graphene oxide, the first portion opposing the second portion;

a second electrode comprising a conductor;
an ion conductive medium; and
electrical current in communication with the first electrode,
wherein the first and second active metal layers are in electronic communication with the ion conductive medium.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying graphene oxide is effected by at least one of spraying, ultrasonic spraying, dip coating, spinning, printing, soaking, or rolling.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-conductive porous substrate is a fabric, an article of clothing, a paper, a polymer membrane, a polymer film, a glass, a wood, cotton, or a fibrous material.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical cell further comprises a third electrode having a known electrode potential.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-conductive porous substrate is a fabric, an article of clothing, a paper, a polymer membrane, a polymer film, a glass, a wood, or cotton.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ion conductive medium has an acidic or a neutral pH.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ion conductive medium has a basic pH.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ion conductive medium is an aqueous solution of sodium chloride.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical cell further comprises a third electrode is an Ag/AgCl electrode, an Hg/HgO electrode, a calomel electrode, or a hydrogen reversible electrode.

Assignees

• Univ Ohio

Inventors

• Botte Gerardine G
• Wang Dan

Classifications

• C01B32/184 Primary

  Preparation · CPC title

• C25B1/00 Primary

  Electrolytic production of inorganic compounds or non-metals · CPC title

• C25B9/17

  Cells comprising dimensionally-stable non-movable electrodes; Assemblies of constructional parts thereof · CPC title

• C25B11/031

  Porous electrodes · CPC title

• C25B11/043

  Carbon, e.g. diamond or graphene · CPC title