Technical / Research

Researchers from ISMN-CNR have introduced GrapheNet, a deep learning framework based on an Inception-Resnet architecture using image-like encoding of structural features for the prediction of the properties of nanographenes.

Scheme of the GrapheNet framework. Image from Scientific Reports

By exploiting the planarity of quasi-bidimensional systems and through encoding structures into images, and leveraging the flexibility and power of deep learning in image processing, Graphenet is said to achieve significant accuracy in predicting the physicochemical properties of nanographenes. 

A research team from the University of Córdoba (UCO) has developed a new prototype that could lead opens the door to the large-scale production of graphene. This new method, which has already been registered for evaluation as a patent and is based on a previous patent by the same team, increases the production of graphene by more than 22%, with the process maintaining the high quality that characterizes graphene synthesized with this technology.

The work is based on plasma technology, a partially ionized gas often referred to as the fourth state of matter. One of its great advantages, highlighted the study's lead author, Francisco Javier Morales, is that "it is a highly energetic medium that is capable of breaking down organic molecules very easily." Specifically, the team used this plasma torch to break down ethanol and rearrange the molecule's carbon atoms, resulting in the creation of graphene.

An international group of scientists, including ones from the UK's University of Bath, Friedrich Schiller University Jena in Germany and the University of Pisa in Italy, recently set out to investigate the ultrafast opto-electronic and thermal tuning of nonlinear optics in graphene.

Opto-electronic modulation of third harmonic generation in a graphene field-effect transistor. The illustration includes a sketch and a microscopic optical image of the device. Image credit: University of Bath

Nonlinear optics explores how powerful light (e.g. lasers) interacts with materials, resulting in the output light changing color (i.e. frequency) or behaving differently based on the intensity of the incoming light. This field is important for developing advanced technologies such as high-speed communication systems and laser-based applications. Nonlinear optical phenomena enable the manipulation of light in novel ways, leading to breakthroughs in fields like telecommunications, medical imaging, and quantum computing. Graphene's exceptional electronic properties, related to relativistic-like Dirac electrons and strong light-matter interactions, make it promising for nonlinear optical applications, including ultrafast photonics, optical modulators, saturable absorbers in ultrafast lasers, and quantum optics.

Researchers from the Taiyuan Institute of Technology have introduced a novel graphene RF NEMS capacitive switch and conducted an extensive analysis of its RF performance within the UWB frequency range of DC ~ 140 GHz. 

Schematic representation of the proposed graphene RF NEMS capacitive switch: (a) a 3D isometric view; (b) a top view. Image credit: Scientific Reports

The monolayer graphene RF NEMS switch is characterized by its low pull-in voltage, rapid switching time, and superior RF performance, contrasting with the comparatively inferior performance of multilayer graphene RF NEMS switches. 

University of Illinois Chicago scientists have created a new platform to study materials at the level of individual molecules. The approach is a significant breakthrough for creating nanotechnologies that could revolutionize computing, energy and other fields.

Two-dimensional materials, such as graphene, are made from a single layer of atoms. Studying and designing these ultrathin materials requires highly specialized methods. The laboratory of Nan Jiang, associate professor of chemistry and physics at UIC, pioneered a new method to simultaneously examine the structural, electronic and chemical properties of these nanomaterials. The platform combines two scientific approaches — scanning probe microscopy and optical spectroscopy — to view materials and assess how they interact with chemicals.

While silk protein has been used in designer electronics, its use is currently limited in part because silk fibers are a messy tangle of spaghetti-like strands. To address this, researchers from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, University of Washington, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, North Carolina State University and Xiamen University have developed a uniform two-dimensional (2D) layer of silk protein fragments, or "fibroins," on graphene. 

Scheme of silk fibroin assembly on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) characterized by in situ AFM. Image from Science Advances

The scientists explained that their work provides a reproducible method for silk protein self-assembly that is essential for designing and fabricating silk-based electronics. They said that the system is nontoxic and water-based, which is vital for biocompatibility.

Researchers from Kumamoto University and Hiroshima University have announced a significant development in hydrogen ion barrier films using graphene oxide (GO) without internal pores. This approach could be beneficial for protective coatings for various applications.

In their study, the research team successfully synthesized and developed a pore-free GO (Pf-GO) membrane with controlled oxygen functional groups. Traditionally, GO has been known for its high ionic conductivity, which made it challenging to use as an ion barrier. However, by eliminating the internal pores, the team created a material with dramatically improved hydrogen ion barrier properties.

Researchers from the University of Cambridge, University College London, Imperial College London, Kumoh National Institute of Technology (KIT) and Beihang University have developed a wearable ‘smart’ choker for speech recognition, that has the potential to redefine the field of silent speech interface (SSI) thanks to embedded ultrasensitive textile strain sensor technology.

Where verbal communication is hindered, such as in locations with lots of background noise or where an individual has an existing speech impairment, SSI systems are a cutting-edge solution, enabling verbal communication without vocalization. As such, it is a type of electronic lip-reading using human-computer interaction. In their recent research, the scientists applied an overlying structured graphene layer to an integrated textile strain sensor for robust speech recognition performance, even in noisy environments.

A team of scientists from the University of Manchester has gained new understanding of lithium-ion storage within the thinnest possible battery anode - composed of just two layers of carbon atoms. Their work shows an unexpected ‘in-plane staging’ process during lithium intercalation in bilayer graphene, which could pave the way for advancements in energy storage technologies.

Lithium-ion batteries, which power everything from smartphones and laptops to electric vehicles, store energy through a process known as ion intercalation. This involves lithium ions slipping between layers of graphite - a material traditionally used in battery anodes, when a battery is charged. The more lithium ions that can be inserted and later extracted, the more energy the battery can store and release. While this process is well-known, the microscopic details have remained unclear. The Manchester team’s discovery sheds new light on these processes by focusing on bilayer graphene, the smallest possible battery anode material.

Researchers at Swansea University, in collaboration with China's Wuhan University of Technology and Shenzhen University, have developed a technique for producing large-scale graphene current collectors that could significantly enhance the safety and performance of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs).

Their recent study details the first successful protocol for fabricating defect-free graphene foils on a commercial scale. These foils offer excellent thermal conductivity - nearly ten times higher than traditional copper and aluminium current collectors used in LIBs.