Percolated microstructures for multi-modal transport enhancement in porous active materials

1. A method of forming a composite material for use in multi-modal transport, the method comprising:

providing three-dimensional graphene having hollow channels, the hollow channels distributed throughout all of the three-dimensional graphene;

enabling a polymer solution to wick into the hollow channels of the three-dimensional graphene;

curing the polymer solution to form a cured three-dimensional graphene, the cured three-dimensional graphene including a polymer within the hollow channels;

integrating an active material within open areas around the hollow channels, the open areas distributed throughout all of the cured three-dimensional graphene; and

after integrating the active material, removing the polymer from within the hollow channels to form the composite material.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer includes polymethylmethacrylate.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the active material includes zeolite.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the active material is a powder within a liquid suspension and integrating the active material within the open areas includes integrating the suspension within the open areas around the hollow channels.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

wetting the cured three-dimensional graphene with an integration promoter before integrating the active material in order to promote integration of the active material within the open areas.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the active material includes zeolite and the integration promoter includes ethanol.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

densifying the active material around the hollow channels and the cured three-dimensional graphene before removing the polymer from within the hollow channels.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the polymer includes immersing the active material and the cured three-dimensional graphene in a solvent.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the polymer includes polymethylmethacrylate and the solvent includes acetone.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

annealing the composite material after removing the polymer from within the hollow channels in order to promote contact between the active material and the three-dimensional graphene.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein enabling the polymer solution to wick into the hollow channels includes placing one side of the three-dimensional graphene in the polymer solution and permitting the polymer solution to enter the hollow channels by capillary action.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the steps of enabling and curing are repeated in order to substantially fill the hollow channels with the polymer.

13. A method of forming a composite material for use in multi-modal transport, the method comprising:

providing a three-dimensional network of vapor transport channels, the vapor transport channels distributed throughout all of the three-dimensional network;

enabling a polymer solution to enter into the vapor transport channels;

curing the polymer solution to form a cured three-dimensional network, the cured three-dimensional network including a polymer within the vapor transport channels;

integrating an active material around the vapor transport channels, the active material distributed throughout all of the cured three-dimensional network; and

after integrating the active material, removing the polymer from within the vapor transport channels to form the composite material.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein integrating the active material around the vapor transport channels includes placing a layer of the active material on either side of the cured three-dimensional network.