Researchers from the University of Exeter have developed a method using graphene oxide flakes that could be used to create the next generation of computers. The Exeter team used microfluidics technology to develop a new method of engineering computer chips that’s easier and less expensive than the current methodology.

The microfluidics approach uses minute channels to control the flow and direction of tiny quantities of fluid. The tests performed at the University of Exeter involved flakes of graphene oxide, mixed into the fluid, which was then mixed together in the channels to create the chips. The researchers used an advanced light-based procedure to facilitate the creation of three-dimensional structures that comprise the resulting chip.

Researchers at MIT and National Chiao Tung University have designed a graphene oxide-based system that could make it possible to capture and analyze individual cells from a small sample of blood, potentially leading to very low-cost diagnostic systems that could be used almost anywhere.

The new system, based on specially treated sheets of graphene oxide. The team explains that the key to the new process is heating the graphene oxide at relatively mild temperatures. This low-temperature annealing makes it possible to bond particular compounds to the material's surface. These compounds in turn select and bond with specific molecules of interest, including DNA and proteins, or even whole cells. Once captured, those molecules or cells can then be subjected to a variety of tests.

Versarien, the advanced materials group, has announced a fundraising of approximately £1 million (before expenses). The fundraising comprises an institutional placing by WH Ireland in conjunction with an offer via PrimaryBid.

The Company will use the proceeds of the fundraising to purchase capital equipment for its graphene businesses and for working capital.

Zenyatta Ventures has announced that a team of scientists at Lakehead University in Canada has made significant progress in developing sensing applications with the first graphene oxide (GO) produced from the Company’s Albany graphite.

The team has developed a novel one-pot synthesis of fluorine functionalized graphene oxide (F-GO) which can be used in many energy, environmental and electrochemical sensing applications. The produced F-GO has been tested for the simultaneous detection of various toxic metal ions (e.g. mercury, lead, cadmium and copper) and a substantial improvement in the electrochemical sensing performance was achieved in comparison with GO.

The government of Xiangyang, China, has recently signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Hubei Institute of Aerospace Chemical Technology. Under the agreement, the two sides will jointly build the China Aerospace Graphene Industry Base in Central China.

Graphene has many potential applications in the aerospace industry, like strong and durable composites, high-performance sensors, various functional coatings, batteries, supercapacitors and more. Recent examples of progress made in this field include a graphene-based UAV made by UK collaboration, a graphene-enabled composite with potential uses in the automotive and aerospace industries, a collaboration between Versarien and the Spain-based CT Engineering to develop graphene-enhanced composite components for the aerospace industry, a novel coating of graphene nanoribbons in epoxy, that was proven effective at melting ice on a helicopter blade and more. To read more on the latest graphene advances in the aerospace field, click here.

Researchers at the China-based Tsinghua University have designed an intelligent artificial throat device using laser-induced graphene that can generate and detect sound. Many technologies have been developed to help vocally-impaired people, but most rely on alternatives to speech instead of actual vocal expression. These are also quite expensive and complex. The researchers in this study have developed a one-step process to fabricate a low-cost and wearable LIG artificial throat, that exhibits a high performance for both generating and detecting sounds. It is the LIG within the device, which possesses fantastic thermoacoustic and piezoresistive properties, that enables the functional integration of emitting and detection within a single device.

As a sound source, the device can generate a wide-band sound source with a frequency of 100 Hz to 40 kHz. The device also has a broad frequency spectrum due to resonance-free oscillations from the sound sources. As a detector, the artificial throat device shows a unique response towards different kinds of sounds and throat vibrations. The device can recognize vocal activities such as coughing, humming and screaming at different tones and volumes, through the mechanical vibrations of the throat cords with fine repetition. This recognition is performed with clear distinction due to the differentiation of their specific waveforms. It also has the capability to recognize words and sentences. The different volumes and/or frequencies can be transformed into controllable and pre-designed sounds. The excellent mechanical properties of the device also allow the device to be capable of voice recognition.