Patent ID: 11970399
Assignee: WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC C  B  H  Y | IPC B  C  H

Claim 27:
28. A method comprising:
(a) mixing a metal powder and a carbon source to form a metal and carbon source mixture, wherein
(i) the carbon source is not graphene, graphene oxide, or a graphene derivative, and
(ii) at least some of the metal powder is covered by the carbon source;

(b) utilizing a 3D printing process to fuse the metal powder in the metal and carbon source mixture into a specific structure, wherein the 3D printing process comprises
(i) depositing one or more layers of the metal and carbon source mixture,
(ii) performing a first laser sintering step, wherein
(A) the metal powder in the one or more layers of the metal and carbon source mixture is fused such that at least some of the metal power bonds together to form a laser sintered structure comprising metal,

(iii) depositing an additional one or more layers of the metal and carbon source mixture on the laser sintered structure,
(iv) performing an additional laser sintering step, wherein
(A) the metal powder in the additional one or more layers of the metal and carbon source mixture is fused such that at least some of the metal power bonds together and bonds with the metal of the laser sintered structure to form a further laser sintered structure comprising the metal, and

(v) repeating steps (iii)-(iv) utilizing the further laser sintered structure as the laser sintered structure, to form the specific structure comprising the metal;

(c) using a laser to convert the carbon source in the metal and carbon source mixture into graphene to form a graphene and metal scaffold, wherein
(i) during or after performing the first laser sintering step, using a laser to convert the carbon source in the one or more layers of the metal and carbon source mixture into first graphene that is on a surface and interface regions of the laser sintered structure,
(ii) during or after performing the additional laser sintering step, using the laser to convert the carbon source in the additional one or more layers of the metal and carbon source mixture into additional graphene that is on a surface and interface regions of the further laser sintered structure,
(iii) the graphene and metal scaffold comprises the specific structure and the graphene, wherein the graphene comprises the first graphene and the additional graphene, and
(iv) the graphene is on a surface and interface regions of the specific structure;

(d) removing the metal from the graphene and metal scaffold to form 3D graphene material; and
(e) incorporating the 3D graphene material into an electrode.