Facile methods to manufacture intelligent graphene nanomaterials and the use of for super-light machine and vehicles

Abstract

This utility invention is to replace some of the parts of current vehicles and robotic machines with intelligent graphene-based fibers and nanocomposites to achieve significantly weight-decreasing and energy-savings. This invention also is related to the formation of new generation vehicles, machine parts including robotics, which include but not limited to all kinds of cars, trailers, trucks, vehicles on roads and in the sky, ships on the ocean, and intelligent robotics for Human, as well as computer parts, bicycles, and sports supplies.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of producing graphene-based carbon fiber comprising the steps of:
 creating a mixture;   heating the mixture to a temperature of between 20° to 400° C.;   forming a plurality of porous carbon fiber sheets, a pore size of the pores being in a range of 1 nm to 8 μm; and   annealing the plurality of porous carbon fiber sheets at a temperature of 400° C. to 2000° C. after the heating step.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of dispersing a quantity of at least one of a graphene powder, graphene flakes, graphene oxide powder, or graphene oxide flakes into a solvent solution with a surfactant to form the mixture. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the solvent solution is one of water, an alcohol, acetone, ketone, dimethyl formamide (DMF), ethylene glycol (EG), or DMSO. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of adding at least one of a nanocellulose fiber, a polymer, and a resin into a solvent solution with a surfactant to form the mixture. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the adding step comprises adding the polymer to the solvent solution with the surfactant, wherein the polymer is one of polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polystyrene, portion of asphalt, epoxy, polycarbonate, and any kind of cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene glycol, nylon, polydimethylsiloxane, polyacrylamide, and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the adding step comprises adding the resin to the solvent solution with the surfactant, wherein the resin is one of a polyvinyl resin, polyester resin, epoxy, polycarbonate resin, polyurethane resin, silicone resin, poly(methyl methacrylate) resin, and an epoxy siloxane resin. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the mixture comprises a quantity of at least one of a graphene powder, graphene flakes, graphene oxide power, or graphene oxide flakes in a solvent solution with a surfactant, and at least one of a nanocellulose fiber, a polymer, and a resin. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of:
 dispersing a quantity of at least one of a graphene powder, graphene flakes, graphene oxide powder, and graphene oxide flakes into a solvent solution with a surfactant, and 
 adding at least one of a nanocellulose fiber, a polymer, and a resin into the solvent solution with the surfactant to form the mixture. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the mixture comprises the quantity of at least one of the graphene powder, graphene flakes, graphene oxide powder, and graphene oxide flakes in the solvent solution with the surfactant and the at least one of the nanocellulose fiber, the polymer, and the resin. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising a step of adding an additive to the solvent solution with the surfactant, the additive being at least one of nanoparticles or nanowires of metal, steel nano-powder, carbon nanotubes, and a metal oxide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of stirring the mixture to obtain a uniform viscosity mixture. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the step of heating the mixture comprises the step of heating the uniform viscosity mixture. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of forming the plurality of carbon fiber sheets further comprises using a 3D printing machine. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the 3D printing machine is computerized and configured to perform the step of forcing the mixture through a nozzle onto a substrate. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the forcing of the mixture through the nozzle forms a graphene-based composite filament. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of forming the plurality of porous carbon fiber sheets is carried out under a vacuum. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising the steps of placing the sheets in a mold, injecting a quantity of second resin into the mold, and drawing the vacuum on the sheets and the second resin. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the steps of curing the second resin at approximately 20° C.-400° C. forming a cured composition, the curing step forming chemical bonds to enhance mechanical strength. 
     
     
         19 . A method of forming a carbon fiber item using a plurality of carbon fiber sheets comprising the steps of:
 layering the plurality of carbon fiber sheets;   applying a resin to the plurality of carbon fiber sheets; and   curing the resin; and   annealing the cured resin and the plurality of carbon fiber sheets in an inert gas at a temperature of 1,800° C.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the step of cutting the carbon fiber item to a desired shape.