# US 10,501,845 B2 · Thin metal coating methods for high conductivity graphane-metal composites and methods of manufacture > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,501,845 B2 - Document ID: US10501845B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/836,582 - Filed: 2017-12-08 - Published: 2018-04-12 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2015-11-20 - Assignees: Fourté International, SDN. BHD - Applicants: Fourte' International, Sdn. Bhd. - Inventors: James J. Farquhar; Choon Ming Seah - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10501845B2 ## CPC - C23C 16/26: Deposition of carbon only - B01D 1/00: Evaporating ({evaporation in general, e.g. of liquids for gas phase reactions B01B1/005} ; removal of incrustation B08B; preparation of starch C08B30/00; sugar industry C13; prevention of incrustation C23F; drying solid materials or objects by evaporating liquids therefrom F26) - C23C 14/0605: {Carbon} - C23C 16/045: {Coating cavities or hollow spaces, e.g. interior of tubes; Infiltration of porous substrates} - C23C 16/545: {for coating elongated substrates} - C23C 16/56: After-treatment - C23C 28/00: Coating for obtaining at least two superposed coatings either by methods not provided for in a single one of groups C23C2/00 - C23C26/00 or by combinations of methods provided for in subclasses C23C and C25C or C25D - B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES ## Abstract Embodiments of the present technology include graphane-metal composites. An example graphane-metal composite includes a porous metal foam substrate, a graphane layer deposited to the porous metal foam substrate, a metal layer applied to the graphane layer, and another graphane layer deposited to the metal layer; the multilayered porous metal foam substrate being compressed to form a graphane-metal composite, and depositing a thin metal coating on an outer surface of the porous metal foam substrate or an outer surface of the graphane using any of physical vapor deposition and chemical vapor deposition. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for manufacturing a graphane-metal composite comprising: depositing graphane onto a porous metal foam substrate; compressing the porous metal foam substrate with graphane applied to form a graphane-metal composite; and depositing a thin metal coating on an outer surface of the graphane-metal composite using any of physical vapor deposition and chemical vapor deposition. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein any of the outer surface of the porous metal foam substrate and the outer surface of the graphane are electrically conductive. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, further comprising: inducing a vacuum around the graphane-metal composite; and adding energy within the vacuum to promote evaporation of the target metal or metal alloy using any of high temperature for thermal evaporation deposition, high-power laser for pulsed laser deposition, high-power electric arc discharge for cathodic arc deposition, highly energetic pulsed electron beam for pulsed electron deposition, and high energy electron for electron beam physical vapor deposition. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the depositing graphane to a porous metal foam substrate is by chemical vapor deposition. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the depositing graphane to a porous metal foam substrate is by growing carbon nanotubes on the surface of the porous metal foam substrate before compressing the porous metal foam substrate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the depositing graphane to a porous metal foam substrate comprises: synthesizing carbon nanotubes within voids of the porous metal foam substrate; and threading the voids of the porous metal foam substrate with the carbon nanotube threads before compressing the porous metal foam substrate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the depositing graphane to a porous metal foam substrate comprises 3D printing thermal elastomers or metal into voids in the porous metal foam substrate surface before compressing the porous metal foam substrate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the thermal elastomers or metal are selectively added to certain areas of the porous metal foam substrate before compressing the porous metal foam substrate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the porous metal foam substrate with graphane applied is compressed to substantially close the voids in the porous metal foam substrate and make the compressed porous metal foam substrate with graphane applied thinner than the thickness of the non-compressed porous metal foam substrate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising die casting or injection molding the graphane-metal composite into an aluminum, zinc, or plastic frame. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising roll bonding the graphane-metal composite into a structural member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising roll bonding at least one layer of graphane-metal composite to at least one layer of copper foil coated with graphane. ### Claim 13 A graphane-metal composite comprising: a porous metal foam substrate; a graphane layer deposited to the porous metal foam substrate, the porous metal foam substrate and graphane being compressed to form a graphane-metal composite; and a thin metal coating deposited on an outer surface of the graphane-metal composite using any of physical vapor deposition and chemical vapor deposition. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The graphane-metal composite according to claim 13, wherein the porous metal foam substrate is nickel or copper foam. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The graphane-metal composite according to claim 13, wherein the porosity of the porous metal foam substrate is at least 70%. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The graphane-metal composite according to claim 13, wherein the graphane layer is deposited to the porous metal foam substrate by chemical vapor deposition. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The graphane-metal composite according to claim 13, wherein the porous metal foam substrate with graphane applied is compressed to substantially close the voids in the porous metal foam substrate and make the compressed porous metal foam substrate with graphane applied thinner than the thickness of the non-compressed porous metal foam substrate. ### Claim 18 A method for manufacturing a graphane-metal composite comprising: depositing a layer of graphane onto a porous metal foam substrate; applying a layer of metal on top of the layer of graphane; depositing another layer of graphane onto the layer of metal; compressing the porous metal foam substrate and the layer of metal and the additional layer of graphane to form a multilayered graphane-metal composite; placing the multilayered graphane-metal composite in a vacuum chamber; vaporizing a target metal or alloy; and allowing the vaporized target metal or alloy to deposit on an outer surface of the multilayered graphane-metal composite. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein vaporizing comprises: injecting a plasma into the vacuum chamber at the target metal or alloy in such a way that the plasma contacts the target metal or alloy such that molecules or clusters of atoms of the target metal or alloy are ejected. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the vaporizing utilized comprises any of magnetron sputtering, ion-beam sputtering, reactive sputtering, and high-target-utilization sputtering. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein vaporizing is performed using high temperature, high-power laser, high-power electric arc discharge, highly energetic pulsed electron beam, high energy electron, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein vaporizing comprises chemical vapor deposition of the target metal or alloy.