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Graphene is the strongest, thinnest and most conductive material known to man. With such remarkable properties, it is no wonder that graphene enables exciting new applications in electronics, energy, medicine, aerospace and many more markets.
Mercedes-Benz has reportedly created a compostable battery using organic cell chemistry, graphene and a water-based electrolyte. The battery is free of rare-earth and toxic metals, which means it can biodegrade without polluting the environment.
Mercedes-Benz' head of battery tech, Andreas Hintennach, said that while the tech is very promising, "we don't see that it's close to being used in production technology for now... It's around 15-20 years away."
The European Commission recently invited a group of Graphene Flagship partners and associated members to set up an experimental pilot line to integrate graphene and related layered materials (GRMs) in semiconductor platforms.
The project aims to establish a European ecosystem covering the entire value chain, from tool manufacturers and chemical and material providers to pilot lines. This collaborative project will pioneer the manufacture of new prototype electronics, photonics and sensors integrating GRMs. The 2D Experimental Pilot Line (2D-EPL) will offer prototyping services to companies, research centers and academics to develop their innovative technologies based on 2D materials in an established processing platform.
The Graphene Flagship has announced a transition into Core 3, the fourth funding cycle of the €1 Billion research initiative funded by the European Commission. In this three-year phase of the project, the Graphene Flagship expects to advance much further toward the commercialization of graphene and layered materials. While keeping an eye on fundamental research, the Graphene Flagship Core 3 will have a special focus on innovative research to boost graphene-enabled technologies to higher technology readiness levels.
It was stated that roughly 30% of Core 3 budget will fund eleven industry-led 'Spearhead Projects', each established with clear market-motivated objectives. These Spearheads focus on a wide range of application areas, but all have the common goal of developing new or improved products integrating graphene and layered materials.
Nano Graphene, AKA GrapheneCA, an engineering and technology company offering graphene based products and solutions, has announced the launch of its online store to sell its new “Dr. Nano” anti-bacterial coating. GraphenCA did not openly specify that this is a graphene-based product, but we assume so as GrapheneCA is a developer of graphene-based products.
Dr. Nano is a formula developed to create anti-viral environment that would protect different surfaces for a time frame of 7 to 10 years.
UK-based planarTECH has announced an agreement with Thailand-based IDEATI to market and distribute its 2AM line of graphene-enhanced bullet-proof vest and ballistic plate products for body armor.
IDEATI’s 2AM products are now in mass production for delivery to the Royal Thai Army, which has certified the products per National Institute of Justice (NIJ) standards. International testing is now underway. Minimum order quantity is 1,000 units with a lead time of 90 to 120 days.
This is a sponsored post by Dr. Alex Holland, IDTechEx
Graphene has been heralded as a wonder material for years, with many believing a tipping point is rapidly approaching. It undoubtedly has the potential for use in numerous applications with one of the most notable being the energy storage market. Li-ion demand for plug-in electric cars alone is forecast to be nearly 350 GWh by 2025. IDTechEx forecasts that over 30% of the graphene market will be used in energy storage applications within the next decade with multiple high-profile use cases; see IDTechEx’s reports “Li-ion Batteries 2020-2030”, and “Graphene, 2D Materials and Carbon Nanotubes 2019-2029” for more details.
One of the most significant technological developments in energy storage regards the use of silicon dominant anodes in Li-ion batteries. The theoretical capacity of silicon is around 10x that of graphite and has therefore been the topic of intense activity in the Li-ion market - Over $500 million has been invested in silicon anode start-ups alone since 2015. However, the material is plagued by one major issue: when lithiated, it can expand in volume by 300%. This causes various issues around loss of electrical connection between electrode particles and decomposition of the electrolyte, which ultimately leads to poor cycle life.
Researchers at MIT are working to develop a graphene-based device that may be able to convert ambient terahertz waves into a direct current. The MIT team explains that any device that sends out a Wi-Fi signal also emits terahertz waves —electromagnetic waves with a frequency somewhere between microwaves and infrared light. These high-frequency radiation waves, known as “T-rays,” are also produced by almost anything that registers a temperature, including our own bodies and the inanimate objects around us.
Terahertz waves are pervasive in our daily lives, and if harnessed, their concentrated power could potentially serve as an alternate energy source. Imagine, for instance, a cellphone add-on that passively soaks up ambient T-rays and uses their energy to charge your phone. However, to date, terahertz waves are wasted energy, as there has been no practical way to capture and convert them into any usable form. This is exactly what the MIT scientists set out to do.
