A process for producing a bulk highly oriented graphene structure with a thickness greater than 0.1 mm, said process comprising: 15 (a) preparing either a graphene oxide dispersion having graphene oxide sheets dispersed in a fluid medium or a graphene oxide gel having graphene oxide molecules dissolved in a fluid medium, wherein said graphene oxide sheets or graphene oxide molecules contain an 20 oxygen content higher than 5% by weight; (b) dispensing and depositing said graphene oxide disper- sion or graphene oxide gel onto a surface of a supporting substrate to form a first layer of graphene oxide, wherein said dispensing and depositing procedure includes sub- 25 jecting said graphene oxide dispersion or graphene oxide gel to an orientation-inducing stress; (c) partially or completely removing said fluid medium from the first layer of graphene oxide to form a first dried layer of graphene oxide having an inter-plane spacing 30 d00 2 of 0.4 nm to 1.2 nm as determined by X-ray diffrac- tion and an oxygen content no less than 5% by weight; (d) preparing at least a second dried layer of graphene oxide by repeating steps (b) and (c) at least one time or preparing multiple sheets of dried graphene oxide by 35 slicing said first dried layer of graphene oxide; (e) stacking either said first dried layer of graphene oxide with said at least the second dried layer of graphene oxide or said multiple sheets of dried graphene oxide under an optional first compressive stress to form a mass 40 of multiple layers of graphene oxide; and (f) heat treating the mass of multiple layers of graphene oxide under an optional second compressive stress to produce said highly oriented graphene structure at a first heat treatment temperature higher than 100 0 C. to an 45 extent that an inter-plane spacing d o0 2 is decreased to a value less than 0.4 n m and the oxygen content is decreased to less than 5% by weight, wherein said step (f) occurs before, during, or after said step (e). unknown

We shall greatly appreciate Office's withdrawal of this election/restriction requirement. If the Office still insists on imposing this requirement, we would elect the following invention to be prosecuted first with traverse: Species Group 1: Species 4, wherein the fiber has only been subjected to Regimes 1-4 heat treatment (defined on pages 35 and 36 of the current specification).

A process for producing a bulk highly oriented graphene structure with a thickness greater than 0.1 mm, said process comprising: 15 (a) preparing either a graphene oxide dispersion having graphene oxide sheets dispersed in a fluid medium or a graphene oxide gel having graphene oxide molecules dissolved in a fluid medium, wherein said graphene oxide sheets or graphene oxide molecules contain an 20 oxygen content higher than 5% by weight; (b) dispensing and depositing said graphene oxide disper- sion or graphene oxide gel onto a surface of a supporting substrate to form a first layer of graphene oxide, wherein said dispensing and depositing procedure includes sub- 25 jecting said graphene oxide dispersion or graphene oxide gel to an orientation-inducing stress; (c) partially or completely removing said fluid medium from the first layer of graphene oxide to form a first dried layer of graphene oxide having an inter-plane spacing 30 d00 2 of 0.4 nm to 1.2 nm as determined by X-ray diffrac- tion and an oxygen content no less than 5% by weight; (d) preparing at least a second dried layer of graphene oxide by repeating steps (b) and (c) at least one time or preparing multiple sheets of dried graphene oxide by 35 slicing said first dried layer of graphene oxide; (e) stacking either said first dried layer of graphene oxide with said at least the second dried layer of graphene oxide or said multiple sheets of dried graphene oxide under an optional first compressive stress to form a mass 40 of multiple layers of graphene oxide; and (f) heat treating the mass of multiple layers of graphene oxide under an optional second compressive stress to produce said highly oriented graphene structure at a first heat treatment temperature higher than 100 0 C. to an 45 extent that an inter-plane spacing d o0 2 is decreased to a value less than 0.4 n m and the oxygen content is decreased to less than 5% by weight, wherein said step (f) occurs before, during, or after said step (e). unknown

We shall greatly appreciate Office's withdrawal of this election/restriction requirement. If the Office still insists on imposing this requirement, we would elect the following invention to be prosecuted first with traverse: Species Group 1: Species 4, wherein the fiber has only been subjected to Regimes 1-4 heat treatment (defined on pages 35 and 36 of the current specification).

A process for producing a bulk highly oriented graphene structure with a thickness greater than 0.1 mm, said process comprising: 15 (a) preparing either a graphene oxide dispersion having graphene oxide sheets dispersed in a fluid medium or a graphene oxide gel having graphene oxide molecules dissolved in a fluid medium, wherein said graphene oxide sheets or graphene oxide molecules contain an 20 oxygen content higher than 5% by weight; (b) dispensing and depositing said graphene oxide disper- sion or graphene oxide gel onto a surface of a supporting substrate to form a first layer of graphene oxide, wherein said dispensing and depositing procedure includes sub- 25 jecting said graphene oxide dispersion or graphene oxide gel to an orientation-inducing stress; (c) partially or completely removing said fluid medium from the first layer of graphene oxide to form a first dried layer of graphene oxide having an inter-plane spacing 30 d00 2 of 0.4 nm to 1.2 nm as determined by X-ray diffrac- tion and an oxygen content no less than 5% by weight; (d) preparing at least a second dried layer of graphene oxide by repeating steps (b) and (c) at least one time or preparing multiple sheets of dried graphene oxide by 35 slicing said first dried layer of graphene oxide; (e) stacking either said first dried layer of graphene oxide with said at least the second dried layer of graphene oxide or said multiple sheets of dried graphene oxide under an optional first compressive stress to form a mass 40 of multiple layers of graphene oxide; and (f) heat treating the mass of multiple layers of graphene oxide under an optional second compressive stress to produce said highly oriented graphene structure at a first heat treatment temperature higher than 100 0 C. to an 45 extent that an inter-plane spacing d o0 2 is decreased to a value less than 0.4 n m and the oxygen content is decreased to less than 5% by weight, wherein said step (f) occurs before, during, or after said step (e). unknown

We shall greatly appreciate Office's withdrawal of this election/restriction requirement. If the Office still insists on imposing this requirement, we would elect the following invention to be prosecuted first with traverse: Species Group 1: Species 4, wherein the fiber has only been subjected to Regimes 1-4 heat treatment (defined on pages 35 and 36 of the current specification).

A process for producing a bulk highly oriented graphene structure with a thickness greater than 0.1 mm, said process comprising: 15 (a) preparing either a graphene oxide dispersion having graphene oxide sheets dispersed in a fluid medium or a graphene oxide gel having graphene oxide molecules dissolved in a fluid medium, wherein said graphene oxide sheets or graphene oxide molecules contain an 20 oxygen content higher than 5% by weight; (b) dispensing and depositing said graphene oxide disper- sion or graphene oxide gel onto a surface of a supporting substrate to form a first layer of graphene oxide, wherein said dispensing and depositing procedure includes sub- 25 jecting said graphene oxide dispersion or graphene oxide gel to an orientation-inducing stress; (c) partially or completely removing said fluid medium from the first layer of graphene oxide to form a first dried layer of graphene oxide having an inter-plane spacing 30 d00 2 of 0.4 nm to 1.2 nm as determined by X-ray diffrac- tion and an oxygen content no less than 5% by weight; (d) preparing at least a second dried layer of graphene oxide by repeating steps (b) and (c) at least one time or preparing multiple sheets of dried graphene oxide by 35 slicing said first dried layer of graphene oxide; (e) stacking either said first dried layer of graphene oxide with said at least the second dried layer of graphene oxide or said multiple sheets of dried graphene oxide under an optional first compressive stress to form a mass 40 of multiple layers of graphene oxide; and (f) heat treating the mass of multiple layers of graphene oxide under an optional second compressive stress to produce said highly oriented graphene structure at a first heat treatment temperature higher than 100 0 C. to an 45 extent that an inter-plane spacing d o0 2 is decreased to a value less than 0.4 n m and the oxygen content is decreased to less than 5% by weight, wherein said step (f) occurs before, during, or after said step (e). unknown

We shall greatly appreciate Office's withdrawal of this election/restriction requirement. If the Office still insists on imposing this requirement, we would elect the following invention to be prosecuted first with traverse: Species Group 1: Species 4, wherein the fiber has only been subjected to Regimes 1-4 heat treatment (defined on pages 35 and 36 of the current specification).