Patent 8183180 was granted and assigned to Rice University on May, 2012 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Drilling fluids comprising graphenes and nanoplatelet additives and methods for production thereof are disclosed. Graphene includes graphite oxide, graphene oxide, chemically-converted graphene, and functionalized chemically-converted graphene. Derivatized graphenes and methods for production thereof are disclosed. The derivatized graphenes are prepared from a chemically-converted graphene through derivatization with a plurality of functional groups. Derivatization can be accomplished, for example, by reaction of a chemically-converted graphene with a diazonium species. Methods for preparation of graphite oxide are also disclosed.