Haydale's revenues increase 90% in H1 FY2016, updates on various graphene projects

UK-based Haydale announced its unaudited results for the six months ended 31 December 2016, or H1 FY2016. Total income was £1.5 million (up 90% from H1 2015) and the loss was £2.4 million (up from £1.9 million in H1 2015).

Haydale also provided some interesting update. The company signed a joint development agreement with Hunsman in Novermber 2016, and Haydale now says that Huntsman announced strong initial test results from Haydale's graphene enhanced Araldite resins in thermal management. Haydale's Thailand subsidiary also announced two new small contacts - one from the Thai Ministry of Energy for a printed hybrid functionalized graphene electrode in a supercapacitor and another from IRPC, a leading Thai petrochemical chemical processor.

Read the full story Posted: Mar 23,2017

Graphene enables solar-powered "electronic skin" with sensing abilities

Researchers at the University of Glasgow have used graphene to develop a robotic hand with solar-powered skin, which may open the door to the development of prosthetic limbs or robots with a sense of touch.

Graphene prosthetic hand image

The team created the skin with the help of a single atomic layer of graphene, in a method that includes integrating power-generating photovoltaic cells into the electronic skin. The scientists say that Whatever light is available, 98 percent is going and hitting the solar cell, explaining that a solar panel is located just under the surface of the clear graphene skin. it is generating power that can be used to get the sensitivity, the tactile feeling.

Read the full story Posted: Mar 23,2017

Talga enters agreement with Zinergy to develop graphene inks for printed flexible batteries

Talga Resources, an Australia-based company focused on graphite mining and graphene supply and applications development, has announced that it has signed a joint development agreement with Zinergy UK to co-develop and supply graphene conductive inks for electrodes in thin, flexible printed batteries.

Under the terms of the agreement, Talga and Zinergy will collaborate to develop and trial graphene-based conductive ink formulations in components of the patented Zinergy ultra-thin printed battery. The development program will run for an initial 12 month period.

Read the full story Posted: Mar 22,2017

A new graphene oxide coating to improve the performance of lithium-sulfur batteries

Researchers at Yale University have developed an ultra-thin coating material, based on graphene oxide, that has the potential to extend the life and improve the efficiency of lithium-sulfur batteries. The newly developed material is a dendrimer-graphene oxide composite film, that can be applied to any sulfur cathode.

The researchers state that sulfur cathodes coated with the material can be stably discharged and recharged for more than 1,000 cycles, enhancing the battery’s efficiency and number of cycles. In addition, they said the developed film is so thin and light it will not affect the overall size or weight of the battery, and thus it will function without compromising the energy and power density of the device.

Read the full story Posted: Mar 21,2017

Skeleton Technologies launches graphene-based engine start supercapacitor

Skeleton Technologies, developer and manufacturer of high energy and power density supercapacitors, has announced launching a new graphene-based engine start module to help power heavy industry vehicles in extreme conditions. Called SkelStart Engine Start Module 2.0, it is available in 24V and 12V versions and is based on the graphene-based SkelCap supercapacitors, which Skeleton says provide the highest power and energy density on the market.

The new module’s casing is made of non-flammable material that is resistant to vibration and shock, and is a stud terminal device in BCI Group 31 size. Skeleton states that SkelStart Engine Start modules are designed to provide reliable engine starting in even the harshest conditions, as well as reduced ongoing costs on maintenance and replacement. Businesses can therefore expect their equipment to work cost effectively year-round, affording them peace of mind.

Read the full story Posted: Mar 19,2017

Graphene: history, controversy and the Nobel prize

Graphene, the much-hyped 2D matrix of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb lattice, is the lightest, strongest, thinnest material known to man, as well as the best heat and electricity conductor ever discovered - and the list does not end there. Graphene is the subject of relentless research and is thought to be able to revolutionize entire industries, as researchers hypothesize many potential kinds of graphene-based materials and applications.

Andre Geim and Kostya Novosolov Nobel prize award photo

The excitement surrounding graphene soared since Sir Andre Geim and Sir Kostya Novoselov were awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics, "for groundbreaking experiments regarding the two-dimensional material graphene". Geim and Novoselov extracted graphene from graphite, using the "scotch tape" method, to obtain a piece of graphene (or carbon) one atom thick.

Read the full story Posted: Mar 16,2017

Graphene used in a molecule that converts carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide

An international team of scientists has designed a molecule that uses light or electricity to convert the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide. The process includes using a nanographene-rhenium complex connected via an organic compound known as bipyridine to trigger a highly efficient reaction that could someday replace solar cells.

Graphene compound to replace solar cells image

The molecule acts as a two-part system: a nanographene "energy collector" that absorbs energy from sunlight and an atomic rhenium "engine" that produces carbon monoxide. The energy collector drives a flow of electrons to the rhenium atom, which repeatedly binds and converts the normally stable carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide. The idea to link nanographene to the metal arose from earlier efforts to create a more efficient solar cell with the carbon-based material. But this model actually eliminates the solar cells, and uses the light-absorbing quality of nanographene alone to drive the reaction.

Read the full story Posted: Mar 15,2017

Grafoid unveils GPURE graphene membrane for Li-ion batteries

Grafoid, the Canadian graphene R&D, investment and technology company, announced the development of its GPURE Graphene Polymer nano-porous membrane intended for next generation Li-Ion battery applications.

The GPURE graphene polymer membrane (GPM) was developed as a chemically inert, freestanding membrane using graphene composites to test ion selectivity using both monovalent and divalent ions. Ion selectivity is a key requirement for a semi permeable membrane in a Li-ion battery structure. By protecting the sensitive electrode materials from unwanted chemical species GPURE GPM diffuses only energy harvesting monovalent ions such as Li+, Na+ etc.

Read the full story Posted: Mar 15,2017

Thomas Swan launches a high-performance graphene intermediate product for coatings

Thomas Swan has announced the launch of a high-performance graphene intermediate product for coatings formulators. The new Elicarb Graphene product is a cost effective, stable, easy to handle dispersion of Elicarb Materials Grade Graphene powder for formulation into epoxy-based coating formulations. The product is available now in liter quantities for testing and evaluation.

Thomas Swan has established a 20 tonne per year capability for the manufacture of Elicarb Graphene and Elinova Boron Nitride products at its UK manufacturing site in Consett, County Durham. Elicarb Graphene Epoxy Dispersion is a high performance intermediate product which is intended for further optimization and incorporation into customers’ existing proprietary coating systems. The graphene dispersion is targeted at improving corrosion resistance, thermal conductivity, chemical barrier and mechanical resistance in industrial coatings.

Read the full story Posted: Mar 15,2017

Directa Plus announces graphene-enhanced eyewear collection by Ray-Ban collection with G+ inside

Directa Plus, a producer and supplier of graphene-based products for use in consumer and industrial markets, recently announced that its graphene-based materials have been selected by Luxottica Group, a company that designs, manufactures and sells eyewear, to enhance a new range of Ray-Ban glasses.

Ray-Ban updates that during the creation process of this collection, every detail—from design to production techniques—has been studied to make the best use of the characteristics of graphene. The molds, for example, were designed with special care to facilitate equal distribution of the material, a special mixture of resins and graphene, all over the front of the frame.

Read the full story Posted: Mar 14,2017