Nanoxplore Inc.

Trent Hinze

Scott Murray

Leroy Magwood

A process for in situ functionalization of graphene including placing a graphitic precursor in an exfoliation cannister with exfoliation media; creating an inert atmosphere in the exfoliation cannister; exfoliating the graphitic precursor to form graphene having carboxyl moieties; and reacting the carboxyl moieties in the exfoliation cannister under conditions, such as a temperature of between 260 and 500° C., and in the presence of a substance to chemically reduce or react the carboxyl moieties during the exfoliating to produce hydrophobic graphene. Additionally, a process of molding an article including intermixing a thermoplastic in a molten state with hydrophobic graphene produced by an in situ functionalization process to form a dispersion of the hydrophobic graphene in the thermoplastic; injecting a melt of the dispersion of the hydrophobic graphene in the thermoplastic into a mold having a cavity complementary to the article; and allowing the melt to cool to form the article.

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St. Johns, MI, United States of America

Trent Hinze