Scalable synthesis, characterization and testing of 3D architected gyroid graphene lattices from additively manufactured templates

Abstract

We have developed a novel, facile and architecturally versatile fabrication method for specially designed cellular graphene lattices using additively manufactured polymer-based gyroidal triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) as the initial sacrificial scaffold. Three-dimensional (3D)-printed templates of the polymeric gyroid lattices were coated with a mixture of graphene oxide (GO) and hydrazine solution via the hydrothermal process, followed by drying and thermal etching of the polymer scaffold, which resulted in a neat reduced GO (rGO) lattice of the gyroidal TPMS structure. Scanning electron microscopy and micro-computed tomography were used to evaluate the morphology and size of the 3D rGO architectures, while a Raman response at 1360[Formula: see text]cm[Formula: see text] (D peak), 1589[Formula: see text]cm[Formula: see text] (G peak) and 2696[Formula: see text]cm[Formula: see text] (2D peak) verified the presence of rGO. Thermo–electro–mechanical properties of rGO gyroid lattices of different densities were characterized where the highest Young’s modulus recorded was 351[Formula: see text]kPa for a sample with a density of 45.9[Formula: see text]mg[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]cm[Formula: see text]. The rGO gyroid lattice exhibits an electrical conductivity of 1.07[Formula: see text]S[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m[Formula: see text] and high thermal insulation property with a thermal conductivity of 0.102[Formula: see text]W[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]K[Formula: see text]. It is demonstrated that the hydrothermal-assisted fabrication process is adaptable for different lattice architectures based on 3D-printed scaffolds and thus has wide functional applications.