Three-dimensional flexible and conductive interconnected graphene networks grown by chemical vapour deposition 

 -  Nature Materials, 10(6), p.424-428, 2011 .
<br/><br/> Integration of individual two-dimensional graphene sheets into macroscopic structures is essential for the application of graphene. A series of graphene-based composites and macroscopic structures have been recently fabricated using chemically derived graphene sheets. However, these composites and structures suffer from poor electrical conductivity because of the low quality and/or high inter-sheet junction contact resistance of the chemically derived graphene sheets. Here we report the direct synthesis of three-dimensional foam-like graphene macrostructures, which we call graphene foams (GFs), by template-directed chemical vapour deposition. A GF consists of an interconnected flexible network of graphene as the fast transport channel of charge carriers for high electrical conductivity. Even with a GF loading as low as ? 0.5 wt per cent, GF/poly(dimethyl siloxane)composites show a very high electrical conductivity of ?10 S cm-1, which is ?6 orders of magnitude higher than chemically derived graphene-based composites. Using this unique network structure and the outstanding electrical and mechanical properties of GFs, as an example, we demonstrate the great potential of GF/poly(dimethyl siloxane)composites for flexible, foldable and stretchable conductors. © 2011 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved. 
<br/><br/><label>Subjects--Topical Terms: </label><br/>CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION<br/>DIRECT SYNTHESIS<br/>ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES<br/>ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY<br/>FAST TRANSPORT CHANNELS<br/>FLEXIBLE NETWORKS<br/>GRAPHENE SHEETS<br/>HIGH ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY<br/>JUNCTION CONTACT RESISTANCE<br/>LOW QUALITIES<br/>MACROSCOPIC STRUCTURE<br/>MACROSTRUCTURES<br/>NETWORK STRUCTURES<br/>ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE