Method and Materials for Creating Patterns of Carbon and/or Other Elements on Substrates or within Liquid or Frozen Media by Directed Energy Deposition of Carbon and Other Elements

A method for creating electrically conducting patterns of sp2-hybridized carbon on the surface of a substrate by selectively initiating the polymerization of a gaseous deposit precursor (comprising a vapor of one or more or the following compound:

• 1,1-dichloroethene, 1,2-dichloroethene or 1,1,1-trichlorethane) in a predetermined pattern by controlled application of directed energy (comprising one or more of the following sorts of energy:
• electromagnetic waves, high kinetic energy ions or electrical current) controlled in such a way that they only activate polymerization in a limited and predetermined place on or adjacent to the substrate
• comprising the steps of:
• providing the deposit precursor, a directed energy emission apparatus, solid substrate and a reaction vessel;
• placing the deposit precursor and solid substrate into the reaction vessel;
• selectively sending a directed energy emission into the reaction vessel imping on the substrate with the directed energy emission apparatus;
• such that the directed energy causes polymerization of the deposit precursor only at or adjacent to the points of incidence of the directed energy emission within the reaction vessel to produce a deposit layer on the substrate;
• separating the excess deposit precursor from the patterned substrate and
• applying directed energy or general heating to the polymerized deposit precursor to cause its decomposition by elimination of HCl to yield a final deposit of electrically conducting sp2-hybridized carbon in a predetermined pattern on the substrate.

A method for creating electrically conducting three-dimensional patterns of sp2-hybridized carbon within a solid, frozen or viscous (over 10,000 cps) reaction mixture by initiating the polymerization of a deposit precursor (compromising one or more of the following compounds:

• 1,1-dichloroethene, 1,2-dichloroethene or 1,1,1-trichlorethane) in a pre-determined pattern by controlled application of directed energy (comprising one or more of the following forms of energy:
• electromagnetic waves, high kinetic energy ions or electrical current) controlled in such a way that they only activate polymerization in a limited and predetermined place in the reaction vessel
• comprising the steps of:
• Preparing a reaction mixture comprising the deposit precursor, solvent, polymerization inhibitors (to scavenge free radicals and ions that would promote bulk polymerization), and proton scavengers (to neutralize HCl produced during decomposition of the polymer);
• providing the reaction mixture, a directed energy emission apparatus, and a reaction vessel;
• placing the reaction mixture into the reaction vessel;
• cooling the reaction mixture in the reaction vessel until the reaction mixture freezes or becomes acceptably viscous (10,000 cps);
• selectively sending a directed energy emission into the reaction mixture in the reaction vessel with the directed energy emission apparatus;
• such that the directed energy causes polymerization of the deposit precursor at or adjacent to the points of incidence of the directed energy emission within the reaction vessel to produce a three-dimensional deposit;
• separating the unreacted components of the reaction mixture from the polymerized deposit precursor;
• and
• applying directed energy or general heating to the polymerized deposit precursor to cause its decomposition by elimination of HCl to yield a final three-dimensional deposit of sp2-hybridized carbon.