(405e) Entirely Water-Based Ultralight Graphene Fibers with Superior Properties

Fabrication of graphene fibers with high thermal and electrical conductivity, and good mechanical properties via facile processing method is yet a challenge for industries. The common fabrication of graphene oxide fibers originated from graphite, requires several steps of oxidation and reduction and still, the exceptional thermal and electrical conductivity and stiffness of the graphene sheet as a single layer, has not been translated in such fibers.

Towards this goal, we have fabricated ultralight graphene fibers with the density of 0.25 g/cm³, and an exceptional thermal and electrical conductivity of 2Í10³ W/K-m and 2Í10⁵ S/m, respectively. With a ~0.5 GPa strength and 40 GPa Young’s modulus, the GFs possess the three key element properties of high thermal, electrical conductivity and stiffness. Furthermore, being entirely water-base and by addition of a mild heat-treatment at 600 ºC, the fabricated GFs in this work are promising candidates for industrial light-weight composites applications. The inclusion of such fibers in epoxy composites lead to floating properties that is of interest of versatile industries.