Methods of fabricating laser-induced graphene and compositions thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019330064-A1
Application number	US-201716347451-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 6, 2017
Priority date	Nov 6, 2016
Publication date	Oct 31, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods that expand the properties of laser-induced graphene (LIG) and the resulting LIG having the expanded properties. Methods of fabricating laser-induced graphene from materials, which range from natural, renewable precursors (such as cloth or paper) to high performance polymers (like Kevlar). With multiple lasing, however, highly conductive PEI-based LIG could be obtained using both multiple pass and defocus methods. The resulting laser-induced graphene can be used, inter alia, in electronic devices, as antifouling surfaces, in water treatment technology, in membranes, and in electronics on paper and food Such methods include fabrication of LIG in controlled atmospheres, such that, for example, superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic LIG surfaces can be obtained. Such methods further include fabricating laser-induced graphene by multiple lasing of carbon precursors. Such methods further include direct 3D printing of graphene materials from carbon precurors. Application of such LIG include oil/water separation, liquid or gas separations using polymer membranes, anti-icing, microsupercapacitors, supercapacitors, water splitting catalysts, sensors, and flexible electronics.

First claim

1 . A method of producing a graphene material, wherein the method comprises:
(a) selecting a material comprising a carbon precursor; (b) converting the carbon precursor into laser-induced graphene by utilizing a laser having a focal plane to subject the carbon precursor to more than one exposure of laser irradiation and wherein the step of utilizing the laser is selected from the group consisting of
(i) utilizing the laser to perform multiple lase passes over a same area of the material,
(ii) utilizing the laser upon overlapping regions of lased areas of the material, and
(iii) combinations thereof.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of converting the carbon precursor into laser-induced graphene is performed at ambient conditions.

3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising applying a heat source to the material to char the carbon precursor before the step of converting carbon precursor into laser-induced graphene.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the heat source is a flame.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the material comprising the carbon precursor is selected from a group consisting of polymers, lignin-containing materials, cellulose-based materials, and non-polymeric sources of carbon.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the material comprising the carbon precursor is an polymer selected from a group consisting of polyphenylene sulfide, polyamide-imide, polybenzimidazole, phenol-formaldehyde resin, poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK), poly(m-pheylenediamine) isopthalamide, crosslinked polystyrene, epoxy, and poly(ether-imide).

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the material comprising the carbon precursor is a lignin-containing material selected from a group consisting of wood, coconut shells, potato skins, and burlap.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the material comprising the carbon precursor is a cellulose-based material selected from a group consisting of cotton cloth, paper, cotton paper, and cardboard.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the material comprising the carbon precursor is a non-polymeric source of carbon selected from a group consisting of amorphous carbon, charcoal, biochar, activated carbon coal, asphalt, coke, and Gilsonite.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of converting the carbon precursor into laser-induced graphene comprises utilizing the laser to perform multiple lase passes over the same area of the material, wherein the material is positioned in the focal plane of the laser.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of converting the carbon precursor into laser induced-graphene comprises utilizing the laser upon the overlapping regions of lased areas of the material, wherein the material is positioned offset the focal plane of the laser.

12 . The method of claim 11 , the laser is utilized at ambient conditions.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the utilization of the laser comprises exposing the material to multiple lases in a single pass of the laser while the material is positioned offset the focal plane of the laser.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the material is positioned offset of the focal plane of the laser in an amount that is at least 1% of the laser focal length.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the material is positioned offset of the focal plane of the laser in an amount that is at least 2% of the laser focal length.

16 . A method of producing a graphene material, wherein the method comprises:
(a) controlling a gas atmosphere; and (b) fabricating laser-induced graphene by exposing one or more carbon precursors to a laser source in the controlled atmosphere, wherein the exposing results in formation of laser-induced graphene derived from the one or more carbon precursors.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of controlling the gas atmosphere obtains a superhydrophilic laser-induced graphene or a highly hydrophilic laser-induced graphene.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of controlling the gas atmosphere obtains a superhydrophobic laser-induced graphene or a highly hydrophobic laser-induced graphene.

19 - 99 . (canceled)

100 . A method comprising:
(a) selecting one or more carbon precursors; and (b) direct 3D printing of graphene materials from the one or more carbon precursors via the exposure of the one or more carbon precursors to laser irradiation, wherein the laser irradiation is performed utilizing a laser having a focal plane and wherein the step of utilizing the laser is selected from the group consisting of
(i) utilizing the laser to perform multiple lase passes over a same area of the material,
(ii) utilizing the laser upon overlapping regions of lased areas of the material, and
(iii) combinations thereof.

101 . The method of claim 100 , wherein a metal catalyst is not required to produce the graphene materials from the one or more carbon precursors.

102 - 119 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Univ Rice William M
• Ben Gurion Univ

Inventors

• Tour James M
• Chyan Yieu
• Arnusch Christopher John
• Singh Swatantra Pratap
• Li Yilun
• Luong Duy X
• Kittrell Carter
• Ye Ruquan
• Miller Jordan
• Kinstlinger Ian
• Cofer Savannah

Classifications

• C01P2004/03

  obtained by SEM · CPC title

• C01P2002/01

  depicted by a TEM-image · CPC title

• C01B32/184 Primary

  Preparation · CPC title

• H01G11/44

  Raw materials therefor, e.g. resins or coal · CPC title

• H01S3/0007

  Applications not otherwise provided for (working metals or other materials by laser beam B23K26/00; using photons to produce a reactive propulsive thrust F03H3/00; optical recording of measured values in general G01D15/14; optics in general G02B; holographic processes or apparatus G03H; optical marking or sensing of data record carriers G06K7/10 - G06K7/14, G06K15/12; injection heating of plasma by laser H05H1/22; acceleration of neutral particles by electromagnetic wave pressure H05H3/04) · CPC title