Environmentally friendly and scalable processes for the production of graphene and applications in advanced functional materials and technologies

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Graphene combines exceptional thermal and electrical conductivity with light-weight, flexibility, and strength. This two-dimensional material has enormous potential in a multitude of advanced applications and products in the high-technology sector. In spite of intense research activity, production of graphene at an industrial, or even pilot-scale level has proven to be extremely difficult. The lack of sufficient quantities, and the associated high cost has limited further development of graphene-based products. The proposed research program has the long-term objective to develop an innovative, economically viable, environmentally friendly process to produce scalable quantities of graphene nanoplatelets (GNP), which consist of few to multiple layers of stacked graphene. This research will allow the targeted design of products with desired properties, using predictive tools that will allow tuning the properties of the GNPs to meet the needs of specific applications. The resulting products will have potential in a multitude of innovative products, including polymer composites suitable for thermal management, lubricants, energy storage devices, sensors etc. The research has the following short-term objectives: i)Development and optimization of a new environmentally friendly industrially feasible process to produce GNPs, with a focus on sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions that are economically viable and minimize waste. The resulting GNPs will be used for applications in composites and other hybrid materials, as described in parts iii) and iv). ii) Development of convenient and cost-effective bulk characterization methods to characterize the properties of the GNP, and optimization of the rheological (flow) properties of GNP dispersions and composites for a variety of applications. iii) Synthesis of light-weight thermoplastic polymer composites with superior mechanical properties, suitable for automotive/under-the-hood applications and fuel systems, as well as thermal management systems, such as electronic device housings. iv) Design of integrated substrate/graphene structures processed by additive manufacturing for innovative applications, including components for personal aerial vehicles (PAVs), and breathable, porous structures suitable for wearable sensors. The proposed research program will train a diverse group of 12 highly qualified personnel in a wide-array of skills in materials science and technology, processing and sustainable technologies. In addition to providing a practical, reliable, and cost-effective solution for graphene manufacturing, we envision that this research will result in breakthroughs in sectors of relevance to the Canadian economy, and will develop products that rely on high and consistent availability of graphene-based materials. These outcomes will benefit Canadian manufacturers by providing them with innovative materials to produce high-value-added products having sought after functionalities.