Sulfur-Doped Laser-Induced Porous Graphene Derived from Polysulfone-Class Polymers and Membranes

Abstract

Graphene based materials have profoundly impacted research in nanotechnology, and this has significantly advanced biomedical, electronics, energy, and environmental applications. Laser-induced graphene (LIG) is made photothermally and has enabled a rapid route for graphene layers on polyimide surfaces. However, polysulfone (PSU), poly(ether sulfone) (PES), and polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) are highly used in numerous applications including medical, energy, and water treatment and they are critical components of polymer membranes. Here we show LIG fabrication on PSU, PES, and PPSU resulting in conformal sulfur-doped porous graphene embedded in polymer dense films or porous substrates using reagent- and solvent-free methods in a single step. We demonstrate the applicability as flexible electrodes with enhanced electrocatalytic hydrogen peroxide generation, as antifouling surfaces and as antimicrobial hybrid membrane-LIG porous filters. The properties and surface morphology of the conductive PSU-, PES-, and PPSU-LIG could be modulated using variable laser duty cycles. The LIG electrodes showed enhanced hydrogen peroxide generation compared to LIG made on polyimide, and showed exceptional biofilm resistance and potent antimicrobial killing effects when treated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and mixed bacterial culture. The hybrid PES-LIG membrane-electrode ensured complete elimination of bacterial viability in the permeate (6 log reduction), in a flow-through filtration mode at a water flux of ∼500 L m h (2.5 V) and at ∼22 000 L m h (20 V). Due to the widespread use of PSU, PES, and PPSU in modern society, these functional PSU-, PES-, and PPSU-LIG surfaces have great potential to be incorporated into biomedical, electronic, energy and environmental devices and technologies.

Laser Direct Writing of Heteroatom (N and S)‐Doped Graphene from a Polybenzimidazole Ink Donor on Polyethylene Terephthalate Polymer and Glass Substrates

“…Heteroatom‐doped graphene has a tailored bandgap, which is different from pristine graphene that does not have a bandgap. This structure changes its electric and electrochemical properties, providing electrochemically active sites and increasing applicability for graphene . Two reasons for the increase of charge carrier density are that the structure would free more electrons of the sulfur and nitrogen penetration and structural defects .…”

3D Graphene‐Based H2‐Production Photocatalyst and Electrocatalyst

“…[ 86–89 ] Except for the polyimide, the laser‐induced graphene can also be deposited onto the poly(ether sulfone), polysulfone, and polyphenylsulfone under ambient conditions. [ 90 ] Meanwhile, N‐ and/or S‐doping could be accomplished simultaneously into the laser‐induced graphene owing to the intrinsic N and/or S content in the utilized polymers. Because of the high thermal stability, excellent electrical conductivity, and versatility of polymer substrate, laser‐induced 3D graphene and its related composites have been regarded as promising candidates for various applications.…”

UV Laser‐Induced Polyimide‐to‐Graphene Conversion: Modeling, Fabrication, and Application

“…Laser manufacturing has become increasingly popular in material fabrication due to its high throughput and patterning capability. Recently, it was demonstrated that a commercial CO 2 infrared laser scriber can be used to in situ form and pattern 3D porous graphene on polyimide (PI), cloth, paper, and food under ambient conditions. In comparison to the laser‐reduced graphene method, which uses a laser to reduce graphene oxide (GO) films to graphene, the new laser‐induced graphene (LIG) method avoids the use of GO precursors and directly exploits the substrate materials as a carbon source, which greatly simplifies the fabrication process and reduces the cost .…”