Mechanically robust linked particle networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9718914-B2
Application number	US-201514840913-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2015
Priority date	Aug 31, 2015
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

A method of forming lightweight structures from particle networks includes functionalizing edges of particles of an anisotropic material, exfoliating of the particles to form sheets of the material, aligning the sheets of material to form a network of multi-layered and aligned particles, and forming a structure out of the network of particles. One example uses graphite powder mixed into 4-aminobenzoic acid for edge functionalization, and exfoliation occurs with sonication in a solvent. The resulting particles undergo alignment with an aligning nozzle that also dispenses the aligned particles to form a structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A composition of matter, comprising:
a network of chemically linked anisotropic particles, wherein the chemically linked anisotropic particles have direct linking, organic polymer segments connecting adjacent anisotropic particles formed from reacting organic linking molecules with reactive function groups present on the anisotropic particles and the linked particles are aligned in-plane particle-to-particle to form sheets, and in parallel between sheets.

2. The composition of matter of claim 1 wherein the chemically linked particles materials are selected from a group consisting of carbon, insoluble oxides of transition metals, layered silicates, and clays, and the reactive molecular linker are selected from a group consisting of difunctional epoxies, acyl chlorides, isocyanates and vinyl monomers.

3. The composition of matter of claim 1 , wherein the anisotropic particles selected from the group consisting of: platy particles, fibers and rods.

4. The composition of matter of claim 1 , wherein the anisotropic particles comprise platy particles selected from the group consisting of: graphene layered silicate clays, laponite, hydroxyapatite, alumina platelets, and aluminum hydroxide platelets.

5. The composition of matter of claim 1 , further comprising the network of chemically linked anisotropic particles infused into a polymer matrix.

6. The composition of matter of claim 5 , wherein the polymer matrix is a cured structure.

Assignees

• Palo Alto Res Ct Inc

Inventors

• Iftime Gabriel
• Paschkewitz John Steven

Classifications

• C08G69/00

  Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions forming a carboxylic amide link in the main chain of the macromolecule (products obtained from isocyanates or isothiocyanates C08G18/00; polyamide-imides C08G73/14) · CPC title

• C08G59/00

  Polycondensates containing more than one epoxy group per molecule (low-molecular-weight polyepoxy compounds C07); Macromolecules obtained by polymerising compounds containing more than one epoxy group per molecule using curing agents or catalysts which react with the epoxy groups · CPC title

• C08K7/00

  Use of ingredients characterised by shape · CPC title

• C08G83/001 Primary

  Macromolecular compounds containing organic and inorganic sequences, e.g. organic polymers grafted onto silica · CPC title

• C08K9/08

  Ingredients agglomerated by treatment with a binding agent · CPC title