Chemical-free production of graphene-reinforced inorganic matrix composites

A method of producing a graphene-reinforced inorganic matrix composite directly from a graphitic material, said method comprising:

• a) mixing multiple particles of a graphitic material and multiple particles of a solid inorganic material to form a mixture in an impacting chamber of an energy impacting apparatus, wherein said graphitic material has never been intercalated, oxidized, or exfoliated and does not include previously produced isolated graphene sheets;
• b) operating said energy impacting apparatus with a frequency and an intensity for a length of time sufficient for transferring graphene sheets directly from said graphitic material to surfaces of said solid inorganic material particles, to produce graphene-coated inorganic particles inside said impacting chamber;
• and c) forming said graphene-coated inorganic particles into said graphene-reinforced inorganic matrix composite, wherein a plurality of impacting balls or media are added to the impacting chamber of said energy impacting apparatus and wherein the contents of said impacting chamber consists essentially of said particles of graphitic material, said particles of inorganic material, said impacting balls or media and an inert gas.