Researchers from State University of New York at Buffalo and Kansas State University have successfully 3D-printed graphene aerogel.
The material layers up a graphene paste by utilizing 3D printing, ultimately creating complex structures capable of being turned into aerogel.
In order to do that, the team adheres to the following process:
- Mix graphene oxide with water to create a paste
- The paste is then printed onto a solid platform at -13 degrees Fahrenheit, where it becomes solid
- After some time passes, complex structures can be created
- The water content is removed from the component after being quenched in liquid nitrogen and meticulously freeze dried
- Finally, the component is heated to remove excess oxygen
And just like that, you have 3D-printed graphene aerogel and all of the good conductivity, extremely low density, and high compressibility that comes with it.
Not only is it almost effortless to craft 3D-printed graphene aerogel into complex shapes, the material only weighs 0.03 pounds per cubic foot!
