Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B82—NANOTECHNOLOGY
  • B82Y—SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
  • B82Y30/00—Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C48/00—Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C48/16—Articles comprising two or more components, e.g. co-extruded layers
  • B29C48/18—Articles comprising two or more components, e.g. co-extruded layers the components being layers
  • B29C48/23—Articles comprising two or more components, e.g. co-extruded layers the components being layers with means for avoiding adhesion of the layers, e.g. for forming peelable layers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C48/00—Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C48/16—Articles comprising two or more components, e.g. co-extruded layers
  • B29C48/18—Articles comprising two or more components, e.g. co-extruded layers the components being layers
  • B29C48/21—Articles comprising two or more components, e.g. co-extruded layers the components being layers the layers being joined at their surfaces
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C48/00—Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C48/25—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
  • B29C48/36—Means for plasticising or homogenising the moulding material or forcing it through the nozzle or die
  • B29C48/49—Means for plasticising or homogenising the moulding material or forcing it through the nozzle or die using two or more extruders to feed one die or nozzle
  • B29C48/495—Feedblocks
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C48/00—Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C48/25—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
  • B29C48/36—Means for plasticising or homogenising the moulding material or forcing it through the nozzle or die
  • B29C48/50—Details of extruders
  • B29C48/695—Flow dividers, e.g. breaker plates
  • B29C48/70—Flow dividers, e.g. breaker plates comprising means for dividing, distributing and recombining melt flows
  • B29C48/71—Flow dividers, e.g. breaker plates comprising means for dividing, distributing and recombining melt flows for layer multiplication
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B82—NANOTECHNOLOGY
  • B82Y—SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
  • B82Y40/00—Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
  • C01B32/00—Carbon; Compounds thereof
  • C01B32/15—Nano-sized carbon materials
  • C01B32/182—Graphene
  • C01B32/184—Preparation
  • C01B32/19—Preparation by exfoliation
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
  • C01B32/00—Carbon; Compounds thereof
  • C01B32/15—Nano-sized carbon materials
  • C01B32/182—Graphene
  • C01B32/194—After-treatment
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C48/00—Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C48/03—Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor characterised by the shape of the extruded material at extrusion
  • B29C48/07—Flat, e.g. panels
  • B29C48/08—Flat, e.g. panels flexible, e.g. films
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
  • B29K2023/00—Use of polyalkenes or derivatives thereof as moulding material
  • B29K2023/04—Polymers of ethylene
  • B29K2023/06—PE, i.e. polyethylene
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
  • B29K2023/00—Use of polyalkenes or derivatives thereof as moulding material
  • B29K2023/10—Polymers of propylene
  • B29K2023/12—PP, i.e. polypropylene
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
  • B29K2025/00—Use of polymers of vinyl-aromatic compounds or derivatives thereof as moulding material
  • B29K2025/04—Polymers of styrene
  • B29K2025/06—PS, i.e. polystyrene
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
  • B29K2031/00—Use of polyvinylesters or derivatives thereof as moulding material
  • B29K2031/04—Polymers of vinyl acetate, e.g. PVAc, i.e. polyvinyl acetate
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
  • B29K2033/00—Use of polymers of unsaturated acids or derivatives thereof as moulding material
  • B29K2033/04—Polymers of esters
  • B29K2033/12—Polymers of methacrylic acid esters, e.g. PMMA, i.e. polymethylmethacrylate
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
  • B29K2995/00—Properties of moulding materials, reinforcements, fillers, preformed parts or moulds
  • B29K2995/0037—Other properties
  • B29K2995/0093—Other properties hydrophobic
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B17/00—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres
  • B32B17/06—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material
  • B32B17/10—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material of synthetic resin
  • B32B17/10005—Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific material of synthetic resin laminated safety glass or glazing
  • B32B17/10807—Making laminated safety glass or glazing; Apparatus therefor
  • B32B17/10899—Making laminated safety glass or glazing; Apparatus therefor by introducing interlayers of synthetic resin
  • B32B17/10935—Making laminated safety glass or glazing; Apparatus therefor by introducing interlayers of synthetic resin as a preformed layer, e.g. formed by extrusion
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B2264/00—Composition or properties of particles which form a particulate layer or are present as additives
  • B32B2264/10—Inorganic particles
  • B32B2264/107—Ceramic
  • B32B2264/108—Carbon, e.g. graphite particles
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B2313/00—Elements other than metals
  • B32B2313/04—Carbon
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B37/00—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding
  • B32B37/14—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding characterised by the properties of the layers
  • B32B37/15—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding characterised by the properties of the layers with at least one layer being manufactured and immediately laminated before reaching its stable state, e.g. in which a layer is extruded and laminated while in semi-molten state
  • B32B37/153—Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding characterised by the properties of the layers with at least one layer being manufactured and immediately laminated before reaching its stable state, e.g. in which a layer is extruded and laminated while in semi-molten state at least one layer is extruded and immediately laminated while in semi-molten state
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
  • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
  • B32B9/00—Layered products comprising a layer of a particular substance not covered by groups B32B11/00 - B32B29/00
  • B32B9/005—Layered products comprising a layer of a particular substance not covered by groups B32B11/00 - B32B29/00 comprising one layer of ceramic material, e.g. porcelain, ceramic tile
  • B32B9/007—Layered products comprising a layer of a particular substance not covered by groups B32B11/00 - B32B29/00 comprising one layer of ceramic material, e.g. porcelain, ceramic tile comprising carbon, e.g. graphite, composite carbon
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T156/00—Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
  • Y10T156/11—Methods of delaminating, per se; i.e., separating at bonding face
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T156/00—Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
  • Y10T156/11—Methods of delaminating, per se; i.e., separating at bonding face
  • Y10T156/1111—Using solvent during delaminating [e.g., water dissolving adhesive at bonding face during delamination, etc.]
  • Y10T156/1116—Using specified organic delamination solvent
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T156/00—Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
  • Y10T156/11—Methods of delaminating, per se; i.e., separating at bonding face
  • Y10T156/1168—Gripping and pulling work apart during delaminating
  • Y10T156/1189—Gripping and pulling work apart during delaminating with shearing during delaminating
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T156/00—Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
  • Y10T156/11—Methods of delaminating, per se; i.e., separating at bonding face
  • Y10T156/1168—Gripping and pulling work apart during delaminating
  • Y10T156/1195—Delaminating from release surface
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T156/00—Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
  • Y10T156/19—Delaminating means
  • Y10T156/1961—Severing delaminating means [e.g., chisel, etc.]
  • Y10T156/1967—Cutting delaminating means
  • Y10T156/1972—Shearing delaminating means

Definitions

• the present disclosure generally pertains to production of graphene from graphite and, more particularly, to exfoliation of graphene from graphite using multilayer coextrusion.
• graphite may be dispersed within a first processing material, and the first processing material and a second processing material may be co-extruded through a plurality of series coupled layer multiplication dies to exfoliate graphene from the graphite.
• the graphene may be separated from the resulting multi-layered material.
• graphite flake and/or expanded graphite may be dispersed within the first processing material.
• Some example apparatuses may include multilayer co-extrusion devices comprising a plurality of series coupled layer multiplication dies.
• Some example multilayer co-extrusion apparatuses may be configured to exfoliate graphene by co-extrusion of a first processing material and a second processing material through the plurality of series coupled layer multiplication dies to produce a resulting material including a plurality of alternating layers of the first processing material and the second processing material, where the first processing material may comprise a first graphite material dispersed in a first substrate and the second processing material may comprise a second substrate material.
• Some example methods may include dispersing a first graphite material in a first substrate material to form a first processing material. Some example methods may further include exfoliating graphene from the first graphite material by co-extrusion of the first processing material and a second processing material through one or more layer multiplication dies to yield a resulting material including individual layers of the first processing material interposed between individual layers of the second processing material, the second processing material comprising a second substrate material. Some example methods may also further include separating the graphene from the first substrate material and the second substrate material.
• Some example methods may include mixing a multi-sheet substance comprising a plurality of stacked sheets with a first substrate material to form a first processing material. Some example methods may further include delaminating one or more sheets from the multi-sheet substance by application of shear stress to the first processing material. Some example methods may also further include separating the one or more delaminated sheets from the first substrate material.
• FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example device for producing graphene
• FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example device for producing graphene
• FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating an method of producing graphene from graphite.
• FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating an example method of delaminating a multi- sheet substance; all in accordance with at least some examples of the present disclosure.
• This disclosure is drawn, inter alia, to exfoliating graphene from graphite.
• shear stresses caused by multilayer coextrusion of two processing materials, at least one of which may contain graphite dispersed therein, may be used to exfoliate graphene from the graphite.
• graphite may be described as a layered structure in which an individual layer may be called graphene.
• Graphene may be described as a flat monolayer of carbon atoms tightly packed into a two-dimensional honeycomb lattice.
• Graphene may be considered to be a basic building block for other graphitic materials.
• the present disclosure contemplates that a single layer of graphene was first isolated in 2004 using a so-called peeling method, which used cellophane adhesive tape to successively remove layers from a graphite flake. Although the flakes present on the tape may be much thicker than one layer, a single sheet may be delaminated when the tape is lifted away from the graphite flake. The peeling method may require a great deal of patience, and locating a single layer may be difficult.
• Example methods according to the present disclosure may utilize shear forces produced by multilayer coextrusion of processing materials (e.g., one or more organic polymers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene oxide, polystyrene, or other similar polymers and/or one or more waxes such as polyethylene wax, and/or similar substances) to exfoliate graphene from graphite.
• processing materials e.g., one or more organic polymers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene oxide, polystyrene, or other similar polymers and/or one or more waxes such as polyethylene wax, and/or similar substances.
• FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example device for producing graphene in accordance with at least some examples described herein.
• Extruders 112, 114 may be configured to supply a first processing material 106 and a second processing material 108, respectively, to a feed block 113.
• Feed block 113 may be configured to supply first processing material 106 and second processing material 108 to a plurality of series coupled layer multiplication dies 116, 118, 120, 122.
• various thermal controllers, heating devices and/or even cooling devices can be readily adapted for use as a suitable means of precise temperature control.
• An example method of producing graphene from graphite may comprise dispersing a first graphite material 102 in a first substrate material 104 to form first processing material 106.
• First processing material 106 and second processing material 108 (which may comprise a second substrate material 110) may be co-extruded, such as using extruders 112, 114 and/or feed block 113, through series coupled layer multiplication dies 116, 118, 120, 122 to produce a resulting material 124 comprising a plurality of alternating layers of first processing material 106 and second processing material 108.
• first processing material 106 and/or second processing material 108 may exfoliate at least some graphene 126 from first graphite material 102; thus, resulting material 124 may comprise graphene 126.
• Graphene 126 may be separated from resulting material 124, such as by at least partially dissolving first substrate material 104 and/or second substrate material 110 in a solvent 128 (e.g., water and/or an organic solvent).
• second processing material 108 may comprise a second graphite material 130, which may be dispersed in second substrate material 110.
• the present disclosure contemplates that coextruded multilayers with numbers of layers ranging from tens of layers to thousands of layers may be made using layer multiplication dies.
• FIG. 2 is block diagram illustrating an example device for producing graphene; in accordance with at least some examples described herein.
• Feed block 113 may be configured to supply first processing material 106 and second processing material 108 to a plurality of series coupled layer multiplication dies 116, 118, 120 to produce resulting material 124 comprising a plurality of alternating layers of first processing material 106 and second processing material 108.
• resulting material 124 may be at least partially immersed in a solvent bath 128A and/or may be subjected to a solvent spray 128B to separate the graphene.
• resulting material 124 may be utilized for further applications without separating the graphene.
• resulting material 124 (including the graphene) may be utilized as a concentrate that may be let down into a selected matrix.
• the two layer material may be forced through layer multiplication die 116, which may split the two layer material into two parts (each including the two layers from material 102 and material 110), and the individual parts may be compressed, rotated, stretched, and/or stacked together with other individual parts.
• a fourth layer multiplication die e.g., layer multiplication die 122 shown in FIG. 1
• one or more of the layer multiplication dies 116, 118, 120, 122 may be substantially the same as one another. In some other example embodiments, one or more of the layer multiplication dies 116, 118, 120, 122 may be different than one another.
• the individual layers of the resulting material may be about twenty (20) ⁇ thick.
• the resulting material may comprise about four-thousand and ninety-six (4096) layers, where each of the individual layers of the resulting material may be about one -hundred and fifty six (156) nm thick.
• Further increasing the number of series-coupled layer multiplication dies e.g., about 18 series couple layer multiplication dies may produce about 524,288 layers
• feed block 113 may be configured to produce other numbers of layers (e.g., four layers) and/or layer multiplication dies 116, 118, 120, 122 may be configured to triple or quadruple the number of layers, for example.
• first graphite material 102 and/or second graphite material 130 may comprise graphite flake and/or expanded graphite.
• first processing material 106 may be formed by blending first graphite material 102 (e.g., a powder) and first substrate material 104 (e.g., a powder) and/or feeding the blend into extruder 112 (which may be a single and/or a twin extruder).
• Second processing material 108 may be formed in a similar manner using extruder 114.
• first processing material 106 may be produced by mixing first substrate material 104 and first graphite material 102 together.
• powdered first substrate material 104 and powdered first graphite material 102 may be combined and stirred, which may disperse first graphite material 102 in first substrate material 104.
• first processing material 106 may be extruded and/or pelletized prior to being supplied to extruder 112.
• first substrate material 104 and first graphite material 102 may be heated (e.g., by heating elements and/or due to friction in an extruder) during mixing and/or during extrusion, which may at least partially melt first substrate material 104.
• second processing material 108 may be produced by mixing second substrate material 110 and second graphite material 130 together.
• second processing material 108 may be extruded and/or pelletized prior to being supplied to extruder 114
• second substrate material 110 and second graphite material 130 may be heated (e.g., by heating elements and/or due to friction in an extruder) during mixing and/or during extrusion, which may at least partially melt second substrate material 110.
• first substrate material 104 and/or second substrate material 110 may have substantially the same composition and/or substantially similar properties.
• first substrate material and/or second substrate material may both be at least partially soluble in the same solvent.
• first substrate material 104 and/or second substrate material 110 may comprise non-polar (hydrophobic) materials.
• non-polar materials may include paraffin wax materials, with or without the addition of a high molecular weight polyolefin, which may improve processing.
• Such materials may be useful for cold extrusion (e.g., about 25 to about 40 °C).
• first substrate material 104 and/or second substrate material 1 10 may comprise polar (hydrophilic) materials.
• such hydrophilic materials may include polyethylene oxide (PEO), which may be useful for low temperature extrusion (e.g., about 40 to about 60 °C).
• first substrate material 104 and/or second substrate material 110 may have substantially different compositions and/or properties.
• first substrate material may comprise one or more hydrophobic polymers and/or second substrate material may comprise one or more hydrophilic polymers.
• one of first substrate material 104 and/or second substrate material 110 may comprise a hydrophobic material (e.g., polyethylene/paraffin wax blends, polystyrene, poly (4-methyl pentene) (P4MP).
• the other of first substrate material 104 and/or second substrate material 110 may comprise a hydrophilic material (e.g., polyethylene oxide), polyvinyl acetate, styrene acrylonitrile (SAN), poly (methyl
• PMMA methacrylate
• polylactic acid polylactic acid
• blends of these and/or other polymers PMMA
• first processing material 106 and/or second processing material 108 may comprise graphene. More specifically, in some example embodiments including first substrate material 104 and second substrate material 110 having substantially the same composition and/or substantially similar properties, one or both of first processing material 106 and/or second processing material 108 may include graphene. Similarly, in some example embodiments including first substrate material 104 and second substrate material 110 having substantially different compositions and/or properties, one or both of first processing material 106 and/or second processing material 108 may include graphene.
• extrusion operations may be conducted at low temperatures (for example and without limitation, cold extrusion and low temperature extrusion discussed above), which may contribute to increased shear stresses within the processing material(s), which may increase the exfoliation of graphene from graphite.
• extrusion operations may be conducted at or near about the lowest practicable extrusion temperatures for the substrate and/or processing material(s).
• graphene produced as described herein may be useful in the area of polymer composites, such as where higher strength via high aspect ratio reinforcements may be advantageous.
• graphene may be used in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) siding, which may increase the heat deflection temperature of the siding such that it may better withstand hot weather-related deformations.
• PVC polyvinyl chloride
• poly(lactic acid) a very much appreciated biopolymer, may be utilized in connection with graphene to improve its performance despite its relatively low softening temperature.
• graphene may be used in automotive and/or other transportation-related applications, where some under-the-hood conditions may benefit from high mechanical strength and heat resistance.
• the two-dimensional geometry of graphene may provide an extremely low percolation threshold of about 0.1%, which may enhance their electrical conductivity and/or the strength of the matrix.
• graphene may be used to provide electrically conductive polymers for textile applications.
• graphene may provide long-lasting antistatic properties.
• graphene may be useful in some electronics-related applications.
• the present disclosure contemplates that processes described herein may be used to produce substances besides graphene.
• multilayer coextrusion processes described herein may be useful for delaminating multi-sheet substances comprising a plurality of stacked sheets.
• the present disclosure contemplates that mica may be delaminated into its constituent sheets using multilayer coextrusion processes described herein.
• FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating an example method 400 of producing graphene from graphite in accordance with at least some examples described herein.
• Method 400 may include one or more operations, functions or actions as illustrated by one or more of blocks 402, 404, and/or 406.
• Block 402 may include dispersing a first graphite material in a first substrate material to form a first processing material.
• Block 402 may be followed by block 404.
• Block 404 may include exfoliating graphene from the first graphite material by co-extrusion of the first processing material and a second processing material through one or more layer multiplication dies to yield a resulting material including individual layers of the first processing material interposed between individual layers of the second processing material, the second processing material comprising a second substrate material.
• block 404 may be followed by block 406.
• Block 406 may include separating the graphene from the first substrate material and the second substrate material.
• FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating an example method 500 of delaminating a multi-sheet substance in accordance with at least some examples described herein.
• Method 500 may include one or more operations, functions or actions as illustrated by one or more of blocks 502, 504 and/or 506.
• Block 502 may include mixing a multi-sheet substance comprising a plurality of stacked sheets with a first substrate material to form a first processing material.
• Block 502 may be followed by block 504.
• Block 504 may include delaminating one or more sheets from the multi-sheet substance by application of shear stress to the first processing material.
• Block 504 may be follow by block 506.
• Block 506 may include separating the one or more delaminated sheets from the first substrate material.
• any two components so associated may also be viewed as being “operably connected”, or “operably coupled”, to each other to achieve the desired functionality, and any two components capable of being so associated may also be viewed as being “operably couplable”, to each other to achieve the desired functionality.
• operably couplable include but are not limited to physically mateable and/or physically interacting components and/or wirelessly interactable and/or wirelessly interacting components and/or logically interacting and/or logically interactable components.

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• 2010
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