22 Apr 2015 | Cheng Zhu, T. Yong-Jin Han, Eric B. Duoss, Alexandra M. Golobic, Joshua D. Kuntz, Christopher M. Spadaccini & Marcus A. Worsley
This study presents the fabrication of highly compressible 3D periodic graphene aerogel microlattices using a 3D printing technique called direct ink writing. The research focuses on creating a structured, engineered architecture for graphene aerogels, which are typically composed of stochastic porous networks. The 3D printed graphene aerogels are lightweight, highly conductive, and exhibit supercompressibility up to 90% strain. They also show a significant improvement in Young's modulus compared to bulk graphene materials with similar geometric density, and possess large surface areas.
The study describes the development of a new graphene oxide (GO)-based ink and printing method that allows the creation of porosity-tunable hierarchical graphene aerogels with high surface area, excellent electrical conductivity, mechanical stiffness, and supercompressibility. The GO ink was prepared by modifying the GO suspension to achieve the necessary rheological properties for 3D printing. The ink was extruded through a micronozzle in an organic solvent bath to prevent drying during printing. After printing, the structures were supercritically dried and carbonized to form the final graphene aerogels.
The 3D printed graphene aerogels were characterized using various techniques, including Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, which confirmed their structural and compositional similarity to bulk graphene aerogels. The aerogels were found to have large surface areas, low densities, and high electrical conductivities. They also exhibited excellent mechanical properties, including high stiffness and supercompressibility.
The study demonstrates that the 3D printing technique can be used to fabricate a wide range of complex aerogel architectures, which could be beneficial for various applications such as catalysis, desalination, and filtration/separation. The results show that the 3D printed graphene aerogels can maintain the stiffness of higher-density bulk aerogels at much lower densities, making them highly suitable for applications requiring low density and high mechanical rigidity. The research highlights the potential of 3D printing in creating periodic or engineered graphene structures, which could expand the range of applications for graphene-based materials.This study presents the fabrication of highly compressible 3D periodic graphene aerogel microlattices using a 3D printing technique called direct ink writing. The research focuses on creating a structured, engineered architecture for graphene aerogels, which are typically composed of stochastic porous networks. The 3D printed graphene aerogels are lightweight, highly conductive, and exhibit supercompressibility up to 90% strain. They also show a significant improvement in Young's modulus compared to bulk graphene materials with similar geometric density, and possess large surface areas.
The study describes the development of a new graphene oxide (GO)-based ink and printing method that allows the creation of porosity-tunable hierarchical graphene aerogels with high surface area, excellent electrical conductivity, mechanical stiffness, and supercompressibility. The GO ink was prepared by modifying the GO suspension to achieve the necessary rheological properties for 3D printing. The ink was extruded through a micronozzle in an organic solvent bath to prevent drying during printing. After printing, the structures were supercritically dried and carbonized to form the final graphene aerogels.
The 3D printed graphene aerogels were characterized using various techniques, including Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, which confirmed their structural and compositional similarity to bulk graphene aerogels. The aerogels were found to have large surface areas, low densities, and high electrical conductivities. They also exhibited excellent mechanical properties, including high stiffness and supercompressibility.
The study demonstrates that the 3D printing technique can be used to fabricate a wide range of complex aerogel architectures, which could be beneficial for various applications such as catalysis, desalination, and filtration/separation. The results show that the 3D printed graphene aerogels can maintain the stiffness of higher-density bulk aerogels at much lower densities, making them highly suitable for applications requiring low density and high mechanical rigidity. The research highlights the potential of 3D printing in creating periodic or engineered graphene structures, which could expand the range of applications for graphene-based materials.