Thomas Swan & Co. Limited

Other

Black Swan Graphene Inc.

Ronan McHale

Paul Ladislaus

Lee Glasgow

The present invention provides an apparatus for the production of Graphene and similar atomic scale laminar materials by the delamination of a bulk laminar material, such as graphite. This apparatus provides prolonged head life and avoids catastrophic head wear in an isolated region. Overall product quality over time is better maintained. Also, the benefit of a self-unblocking delamination apparatus can be achieved whilst maintaining high product quality and consistency. Relatively small variation in gap size being sufficient to avoid blockage, such as occurs by the aggregation of large particles or groups of particles in the high shear gap used for delamination.

Apparatus and method for bulk production of atomically thin 2-dimensional materials including graphene

The present invention provides an apparatus for the production of Graphene and similar atomic scale laminar materials by the delamination of a bulk laminar material, such as graphite; the apparatus comprising: a pump () for pumping a fluid, the fluid being a suspension of solid particles of the bulk laminar material, at a pressure of greater than 1 MPa, along a fluid conduit () and against; an impact head () having an impact face perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the trajectory of the incoming fluid, so as to form a narrow and variable gap () and wherein that variation is mediated by means of a pneumatic pressure directly or indirectly in opposition to the force applied to the impact head along the principle axis by, in use, the pressure applied by the pumped fluid. This apparatus provides a self-unblocking delamination apparatus whilst maintaining high product quality and consistency. Relatively small variation in gap size being sufficient to avoid blockage, such as occurs by the aggregation of large particles or groups of particles in the high shear gap used for delamination.

The present invention provides an apparatus for the production of Graphene and similar atomic scale laminar materials by the delamination of a bulk laminar material, such as graphite; the apparatus comprising a pump () for pumping a fluid, the fluid being a suspension of solid particles of the bulk laminar material, at a pressure of greater than 1 MPa, along a fluid conduit () and against an impact head () having an impact face perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the trajectory of the incoming fluid, being the principal axis relative to the proximal end of the conduit () so as to form a narrow and variable gap () and where in the impact head is symmetric about a longitudinal axis which is in line with the principal axis and such that the symmetry allows rotation of the head. This apparatus provides prolonged head life and avoids catastrophic head wear in an isolated region. Overall product quality over time is better maintained. Also, the benefit of a self-unblocking delamination apparatus can be achieved whilst maintaining high product quality and consistency. Relatively small variation in gap size being sufficient to avoid blockage, such as occurs by the aggregation of large particles or groups of particles in the high shear gap used for delamination.

An apparatus and method for the production of graphene and similar atomic scale laminar materials by the delamination of a bulk laminar material where the apparatus includes a main pump () suitable for pumping a fluid, wherein the fluid includes a solid suspension of particles of the bulk laminar material, at a pressure of greater than 1 MPa, towards and in fluid communication with core components () that include a fluid conduit () and an impact head () that form an annular gap () of between 500 &#x3bc;m and 1 &#x3bc;m results between an end of the fluid conduit proximate to the impact head and the impact head and where the gap forms a continuous region surrounding the end of the fluid conduit that is substantially coplanar with the impact head where an impact head surround () extends the region in which the fluid is constrained before exiting the core components.

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Jesmond, United Kingdom

Ronan McHale