Composite Graphene Structures
AssigneeGarmor Inc.
InventorsJeff Bullington, Richard A. Stoltz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Graphene has been used in nanocomposites as constituents/doping in plastics or epoxy providing dramatic enhancement of the mechanical properties but have not progressed past the laboratory level novelty. This invention can provide a graphene based composite structure with a density less that 1.9 g/cm3 for a fiber, yarn, rope or cable and a density less that 1.5 g/cm3 for a sheet both structure have tensile and shear strength greater than either Aluminum or Steel; thus providing a graphene material that is both much lighter and stronger.
Claims21
A method of making a high-strength composite, comprising:
- plating a conducting surface on a substrate;
- electroplating flat graphene flakes onto the conducting surface from a carrier fluid suspension of graphene flakes in a vessel to give a plated layer, wherein the flakes have an average width of 0.5 to 100 microns;
- removing the plated substrate from the vessel;
- drying to remove carrier fluid from the plated graphene;
- applying a layer of polymer containing a solvent to infiltrate between the graphene flakes, wherein the polymer is chemically bondable to the graphene, and the solvent containing polymer has a viscosity between 1 and 30,000 centipoises;
- and
- removing air from between the graphene flakes infiltrated by said bondable polymer layer.
A method of making a high-strength composite, comprising:
- plating a nickel surface on a substrate;
- electroplating flat graphene flakes onto the conducting surface from a water suspension of graphene flakes in a vessel to give a plated layer, wherein the flakes are 5 to 20 micron across;
- removing the plated substrate from the vessel;
- drying to remove carrier fluid from the plated graphene;
- applying a layer of polymer containing a solvent to infiltrate between the graphene flakes, wherein the polymer is chemically bondable to the graphene, and the solvent-containing polymer has a viscosity between 1 and 30,000 centipoises;
- and
- removing solvent from the polymer and air from between the graphene flakes infiltrated by said bondable polymer layer.
A high-strength composite made by the method of:
- plating a conducting surface on a substrate;
- electroplating flat graphene flakes onto the conducting surface from a carrier fluid suspension of graphene flakes in a vessel to give a plated layer, wherein the flakes have an average width of 0.5 to 100 microns;
- removing the plated substrate from the vessel;
- drying to remove carrier fluid from the plated graphene;
- applying a layer of polymer containing a solvent to infiltrate between the graphene flakes, wherein the polymer is chemically bondable to the graphene, and the solvent containing polymer has a viscosity between 1 and 30,000 centipoises;
- and
- removing air from between the graphene flakes infiltrated by said bondable polymer layer.
A high-strength composite comprising:
- flat graphene flakes disposed on an electroplated layer formed on a substrate;
- and
- a polymer chemically bond at least one of in, about, or to the graphene.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.