US Patent 8075950 - Process of preparing graphene nanoshell

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8075950.html

Graphene usually refers to the planar form of a carbon lattice having a honeycomb atomic arrangement. This patent from Samsung teaches a way to form 3D shells of graphene which may have similar properties as carbon nanotubes or fullerene. Claim 1 reads:

1. A process of preparing a graphene shell, the process comprising:

forming a graphitizing catalyst in a three-dimensional form;

coating a polymer on the graphitizing catalyst;

heat-treating the polymer coated on the graphitizing catalyst in an inert or reductive atmosphere to form a graphene shell; and

further comprising separating the graphene shell by removing the graphitizing catalyst with an acid-treatment after the heat-treatment.