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US-20260125853-A1 - FIBER-BASED MATERIALS CONTAINING GRAPHENE OXIDE

US20260125853A1US 20260125853 A1US20260125853 A1US 20260125853A1US-20260125853-A1

Abstract

Materials (e.g., packaging materials) comprising a fiber substrate (e.g., paper) in a form of a porous network of fibers, and graphene oxide on surfaces of the fibers are provided, wherein the graphene oxide is present in the material at an amount of less than 1 weight % are provided. The materials are characterized by improved properties (e.g., increased oil/water resistance, increased mechanical properties) as compared to the fiber substrate absent the graphene oxide. Methods of improving mechanical properties of a fiber substrate are also provided. Food-packaging materials, methods of making the food-packaging materials and methods of using the food-packing materials are also provided.

Inventors

  • Sonbinh T. Nguyen
  • Timothy Wei

Assignees

  • NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251218

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A material comprising a fiber substrate in a form of a porous network of fibers, and graphene oxide on surfaces of the fibers, wherein the graphene oxide is present in the material at an amount of less than 1 weight %.
  2. 2 . The material of claim 1 , wherein the fiber substrate is paper and the fibers are cellulose fibers.
  3. 3 . The material of claim 1 , wherein the graphene oxide is in a form of a plurality of sheets dispersed across the surfaces of the fibers, each sheet having a thickness of less than 2 nm.
  4. 4 . The material of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the graphene oxide is reduced graphene oxide.
  5. 5 . The material of claim 1 , wherein the graphene oxide is present at an amount of 0.2 weight % or less.
  6. 6 . The material of claim 1 , wherein the graphene oxide is not present within pores of the porous network.
  7. 7 . The material of claim 1 , wherein the material further comprises a water-soluble polymer.
  8. 8 . The material of claim 7 , wherein the water-soluble polymer is a styrene-acrylate copolymer.
  9. 9 . The material of claim 1 , wherein the material further comprises an alkenyl succinic anhydride.
  10. 10 . The material of claim 1 , wherein the material consists of the fiber substrate; the graphene oxide; and optionally, a styrene-acrylate copolymer, an alkenyl succinic anhydride, or both.
  11. 11 . The material of claim 1 , wherein the fiber substrate is paper and the fibers are cellulose fibers; the graphene oxide is in a form of a plurality of sheets dispersed across the surfaces of the fibers, each sheet having a thickness of less than 2 nm; the graphene oxide is not present within pores of the porous network; and at least some of the graphene oxide is reduced graphene oxide.
  12. 12 . The material of claim 11 , wherein the graphene oxide is present at an amount of 0.2 weight % or less.
  13. 13 . The material of claim 12 , wherein the material further comprises a styrene-acrylate copolymer, an alkenyl succinic anhydride, or both.
  14. 14 . The material of claim 12 , wherein the material consists of the fiber substrate, the graphene oxide, and optionally, a styrene-acrylate copolymer, an alkenyl succinic anhydride, or both.
  15. 15 . A method of improving a mechanical property of a fiber substrate, the method comprising exposing fibers to an aqueous solution comprising graphene oxide at an amount of less than 1 weight % to deposit the graphene oxide on surfaces of the fibers, wherein a fiber substrate in a form of a porous network of the fibers having the graphene oxide thereon is characterized by an increased mechanical strength as compared to the fiber substrate absent the graphene oxide.
  16. 16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising heating the fibers having the graphene oxide on surfaces thereof.
  17. 17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the fiber substrate is paper and the fibers are cellulose fibers; the graphene oxide is in a form of a plurality of sheets dispersed across the surfaces of the fibers, each sheet having a thickness of less than 2 nm; the graphene oxide is not present within pores of the porous network; and at least some of the graphene oxide is reduced graphene oxide.
  18. 18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the graphene oxide is present at an amount of 0.2 weight % or less.
  19. 19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the fiber substrate further comprises a styrene-acrylate copolymer, an alkenyl succinic anhydride, or both.
  20. 20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the fiber substrate consists of the fibers, the graphene oxide, and optionally, a styrene-acrylate copolymer, an alkenyl succinic anhydride, or both.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/501,243 that was filed on Nov. 3, 2023, which claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 63/422,613 that was filed Nov. 4, 2022; the present application further claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 63/736,833 that was filed Dec. 20, 2024, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND Graphene oxide (GO) is a facile engineering material well-suited for the scaled-up manufacturing of graphene-based materials (GBMs). Single sheets of GO were initially demonstrated by Northwestern University (NU) research groups as the product of the chemical exfoliation of oxidized graphite. GO is typically synthesized by reacting graphite powders, with strong oxidizing agents in concentrated sulfuric acid. Graphite oxidation breaks up the extended stacking of the graphene sheets and transforms their two-dimensional conjugated framework into nanoscale graphitic sp2 domains surrounded by disordered, oxidized sp3 domains as well as defects of carbon vacancies. The resulting GO sheets are generally functionalized with carboxylic acid groups at the edges; and phenol, hydroxyl and epoxide groups on the basal plane. Therefore, GO sheets can readily exfoliate to form stable, light-brown-colored, single-layer suspensions in water. While this severe functionalization of the conjugated network renders GO sheets insulating, significant conductivity may be restored by thermal or chemical treatments, producing chemically modified graphene (CMG) sheets, aka reduced GO. Food-packaging materials are ubiquitous in the food industry. Nearly every type of food product is packaged so as to facilitate storage and shipment, preserve shelf-life, and ensure the quality and safety of the food product. Plastic and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used as food-packaging materials because of their low cost and effectiveness in blocking the transport of water, grease, and gases through the packaging material. SUMMARY Materials (e.g., packaging materials) comprising a fiber substrate (e.g., paper) and graphene oxide (GO) are provided, wherein the graphene oxide is present in the material at an amount of less than 1 weight %. The Examples, below, demonstrate that such materials are characterized by improved properties, including increased barrier properties (e.g., resistance to oil/water) and increased mechanical properties (e.g., increased tensile strength) as compared to the fiber substrate in the absence of the graphene oxide. Methods of improving mechanical properties of a fiber substrate are also provided. Some disclosed embodiments provide a material comprising a fiber substrate in a form of a porous network of fibers, and graphene oxide on surfaces of the fibers, wherein the graphene oxide is present in the material at an amount of less than 1 weight %. Some disclosed embodiments provide a method of improving a mechanical property of a fiber substrate, the method comprising exposing fibers to an aqueous solution comprising graphene oxide at an amount of less than 1 weight % to deposit the graphene oxide on surfaces of the fibers, wherein a fiber substrate in a form of a porous network of the fibers having the graphene oxide thereon is characterized by an increased mechanical strength as compared to the fiber substrate absent the graphene oxide. Other principal features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following drawings, the detailed description, and the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Illustrative embodiments of the disclosure will hereafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a plot of water absorption as a function of time of an uncoated black-striped straw and a graphene oxide (GO)-coated, black-striped straw. The reduced water absorption of the GO-coated black-striped straw demonstrates its increased hydrophobicity. FIG. 2 is a plot of water absorption as a function of time of an uncoated long white straw and a GO-coated, long white straw. The reduced water absorption of the GO-coated long white straw demonstrates its increased hydrophobicity. FIG. 3: Plot of non-dimensional water absorption as a function of applied GO for a commercial food-packaging-grade paperboard having a built-in water-based barrier coating thereon (Stock A). The term “non-dimensional” is used since the weight of the water absorbed is divided by the initial dry weight of the paper substrate being wetted. Open and closed symbols indicate measurements made on the gloss and matte sides, respectively, of the Stock A paper substrate. FIG. 4: Plot of non-dimensional water absorption for a commercial food-packaging-grade paperboard not having a built-in water-based barrier coating thereon (Stock B). The measurements were made on the gloss s