Laminated Object Manufacturing of 3D-Printed Laser-Induced Graphene Foams

Duy Xuan Luong; Ajay K Subramanian; Gladys A Lopez Silva; Jongwon Yoon; Savannah Cofer; Kaichun Yang; Peter Samora Owuor; Tuo Wang; Zhe Wang; Jun Lou; Pulickel M Ajayan; James M Tour

doi:10.1002/adma.201707416

Laminated Object Manufacturing of 3D-Printed Laser-Induced Graphene Foams

Adv Mater. 2018 Jul;30(28):e1707416. doi: 10.1002/adma.201707416. Epub 2018 May 29.

Authors

Duy Xuan Luong^{1

2}, Ajay K Subramanian³, Gladys A Lopez Silva¹, Jongwon Yoon¹, Savannah Cofer⁴, Kaichun Yang⁵, Peter Samora Owuor³, Tuo Wang¹, Zhe Wang¹, Jun Lou³, Pulickel M Ajayan³, James M Tour^{1

3

6}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX, 77005-1892, USA.
² Applied Physics Program, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX, 77005-1892, USA.
³ Department of Material Science and Nanoengineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX, 77005-1892, USA.
⁴ Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX, 77005-1892, USA.
⁵ Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX, 77005-1892, USA.
⁶ Smalley-Curl Institute and the NanoCarbon Center, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX, 77005-1892, USA.

PMID: 29845669
DOI: 10.1002/adma.201707416

Abstract

Laser-induced graphene (LIG), a graphene structure synthesized by a one-step process through laser treatment of commercial polyimide (PI) film in an ambient atmosphere, has been shown to be a versatile material in applications ranging from energy storage to water treatment. However, the process as developed produces only a 2D product on the PI substrate. Here, a 3D LIG foam printing process is developed on the basis of laminated object manufacturing, a widely used additive-manufacturing technique. A subtractive laser-milling process to yield further refinements to the 3D structures is also developed and shown here. By combining both techniques, various 3D graphene objects are printed. The LIG foams show good electrical conductivity and mechanical strength, as well as viability in various energy storage and flexible electronic sensor applications.

Keywords: 3D printing; Li-ion capacitors; flexible electronics; graphene foams; laser-induced graphene.