Researchers from the Foundation of Research and Technology-Hellas, Patras, Greece and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece have developed a technique for creating nanopores in CVD grown graphene. The technique is based on femtosecond (fs) laser treatment of graphene.

CVD graphene is placed onto Si/SiO₂ using conventional dry transferring techniques. Then, it is treated in air with 80 fs laser pulses at high repetition rate. By focusing the barrage of fs laser pulses onto the graphene, circular patterns are formed.

Versarien has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Tunghsu Optoelectronic Technology, covering cooperation between the parties, particularly focused on graphene industrialization.

The MOU with Tunghsu Optoelectronic covers the intended areas of cooperation between the parties, which include:

• Jointly developing graphene-related projects including their operation and execution, industrialization and promotion, leading to sales in China and global markets and exploring more widely products utilizing graphene;
• Together with governmental agencies, academic institutions, and other relevant organizations, to set up a "Graphene Industry Research Institute" in China, to fund, accelerate and invest in the productization and commercialization of graphene application projects;
• To jointly establish a "Graphene Industry Fund" to promote and support the operation and execution of graphene industrialization projects;
• To discuss mutual strategic investments for graphene-based projects, the forms of which will be agreed in future discussions. It is envisaged that Tunghsu will provide financial support as well as strategic support and in return Versarien will provide the required intellectual property to enable the industrialization of graphene-based projects; and
• Focus technical collaboration on projects closely related to both parties' current areas of activity, such as high quality graphene manufacturing, photoelectric display materials, new energy vehicles, energy storage technologies, LED lighting systems, graphene thermal management materials, and flexible batteries.

Researchers at NPL, University of Surrey, University of London, Chalmers University and Linköping University have demonstrated proof-of-concept graphene-based sensors for environmental monitoring of ultra-low concentration NO₂ in complex environments.

The team reports that robust detection in a wide range of NO₂ concentrations, 10-154 ppb, was achieved, highlighting the great potential for graphene-based NO₂ sensors, with applications in environmental pollution monitoring, portable monitors, automotive and mobile sensors for a global real-time monitoring network.

LG Chem has announced a Battery Challenge - a startup innovation competition designed to accelerate the adoption of new battery technologies, business models and ideas around the world. While not focused solely on graphene battery technologies, this competition could be a wonderful opportunity for companies to showcase and promote their graphene-based battery products and ideas.

LG Chem is offering up to $2 million in cash prizes and investment opportunities with a demo day in Silicon Valley and a sponsored week-long trip to South Korea to visit their HQ and facilities. LG Chem is interested in partnering with startups/teams working on new materials, management and control, innovative cell design, manufacturing processes and more.

Researchers from Leiden University in the Netherlands have visualized how atoms behave in between graphene and a substrate, which could be instrumental for future implementations of industrial graphene production.

A basic idea for large-scale production is heating silicon carbide to almost 2,000 degrees C, and a graphene layer grows on its surface. However, researchers need to make sure that the desired properties of the graphene are not disturbed by the substrate. Inserting hydrogen atoms in between the graphene and silicon carbide isolates the graphene and leaves it intact as a single-layer material. Physicist Sense Jan van der Molen and his research group at Leiden University have visualized for the first time how those atoms behave underneath the graphene.

The University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney and China's Hangzhou ­Cables have formalized a major collaboration to begin large-scale manufacturing of graphene power cables, which promise to cut electricity costs and improve grid transmission. This is an advancement of the May 2016 engagement between the two.

The agreement, which will move the project into the second stage of development, was formalized at a ceremony to mark UNSW’s Torch Innovation Week, a showcase of Australian and Chinese partnerships. The joint venture between UNSW Sydney and Hangzhou ­Cables received an additional $3 million (around $2,160,000 USD) funding boost that will transfer laboratory research results into the industrial production of a graphene cable pilot line located in Hangzhou.

Bedimensional has received €18 million to promote their main goal – discover new applications of graphene and related materials in consumer products. The investment was made by Italian 'Pellan Group,' specialized in groundbreaking technical materials.

Bedimensional is an Associated Member of the Graphene Flagship, and is part of a network of companies associated to the Graphene Flagship developing new solutions in the field of composites for energy harvest and storage, such as batteries, super capacitors and solar cells, as well as foster the development of new composite materials, some of which are already available on the market.