Graphene News - Page 1

Researchers from Purdue University, the University of Michigan and the Huazhong University of Science and Technology have used a technique called "laser shock imprinting" to permanently stress graphene into having a band gap, which could mean it would be posiible to use it in various electronic components.

The researchers used a laser to create shock wave impulses that penetrated an underlying sheet of graphene. The laser shock stretches the graphene onto a permanent, trench-like mold. This caused the widening of band gap in graphene to a record 2.1 electronvolts. Previously, scientists achieved 0.5 electronvolts, barely reaching the benchmark to make graphene a semiconductor like silicon.

Znshine Solar, a Chinese solar module manufacturer, has announced signing a 100MW graphene-enhanced solar module supply agreement with UAE's Etihad Energy services as a result of Znshine's participation in the tender launched by DEWA (Dubai Electricity and Water Authority) in January.

CEO of Etihad Energy Services, Mr. Ali Mohammed Al Jassim, explained that the modules will be used in various projects as part of Shams Dubai, the leading initiative that supports the vision of the government to make Dubai one of the most sustainable cities in the world; it also supports diversifying the energy mix by promoting the use of clean and renewable energy sources to build a sustainable future for the Emirate.

ZEN Graphene Solutions has announced the signing of an initial agreement to in-license certain intellectual properties from a Canadian University that when combined with ZEN’s Albany Graphite, produces low cost, environmentally friendly graphene.

The production process rapidly exfoliates Albany Graphite into few layer graphene (FLG, 2-5 layers) with a conversion efficiency of over 90%. Previous work has reportedly demonstrated that the Albany Graphite was converted to graphene far more efficiently when compared to flake or metamorphic graphite. This advantage was said to be confirmed by recent testing using this new process.

Rice University researchers have recently taken the idea of wearable devices that harvest energy from movement to a new level. Prof. James Tour's lab has adapted laser-induced graphene (LIG) into small, metal-free devices that generate electricity.

Putting the LIG composites in contact with other surfaces produces static electricity that can be used to power devices. This relies on the triboelectric effect, by which materials gather a charge through contact. When they are put together and then pulled apart, surface charges build up that can be channeled toward power generation.

Canadian graphene developer Grafoid announced that it launched a new company, called Grafprint3D, to develop and produce 3D printing materials based on Grafoid's MesoGraf graphene - although Grafprint3D's current materials are actually graphene inks for screen printing and inkjet printing and not 3D printed ones.

Grafoid says that initially the new company will focus on wearable device fabrication with biocompatible polymers, biomaterial substrates for cell therapy engineering research, and rapid product prototyping with printable advanced nanomaterials.

A team of researchers from China has reported a novel strategy to 'stitch' together reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets into ultra-strong, tough, and highly conductive graphene films using only small amounts of cross-linker. They show that the bridging of long-chain π-π bonding agent between neighboring rGO nanosheets can provide substantial improvement in multiple properties including tensile strength, toughness, electrical conductivity, EMI shielding capability, and resistance to mechanical damage.

"Our graphene films not only demonstrate a record tensile strength of almost 1.1 GPa, but exceptional abilities to absorb mechanical energy, transport charge, and shield electromagnetic interference that are comparable to or even superior to graphene films annealed at much higher temperatures," says Qunfeng Cheng, a professor at Beihang University in Beijing. "Our process uses abundant natural graphite as a raw material at room temperature. This novel strategy can provide an inspiration for converting low-priced graphite powders into much higher performance macroscopic graphene films for diverse commercial uses in the future."

Researchers at the University of Cambridge and Jiangnan University in China have developed graphene-enhanced wearable electronic components incorporated directly into fabrics. The devices could be used for flexible circuits, healthcare monitoring, energy conversion, and other applications.

The researchers have shown how graphene and other related materials can be directly incorporated into fabrics to produce charge storage elements such as capacitors, paving the way to textile-based power supplies which are washable, flexible and comfortable to wear.