An international group of Russian and Japanese scientists recently developed a graphene-based material that might significantly increase the recording density in data storage devices, such as SSDs and flash drives. Among the main advantages of the material is the absence of rewrite limit, which will allow implementing new devices for Big Data processes.

The development of compact and reliable memory devices is an increasing need. Today, traditional devices are devices in which information is transferred through electric current. The simplest example is a flash card or SSD. At the same time, users inevitably encounter problems: the file may not be recorded correctly, the computer may stop "seeing" the flash drive, and to record a large amount of information, rather massive devices are required.

UK-based planarTECH is launching an equity crowdfunding campaign at on Seedrs, as part of Graphene-Info's Graphene Crowdfunding Arena. planarTECH aims to expand its current business and also initiate new graphene endeavors.

planarTECH, founded in 2014, supplies CVD equipment for the production of high quality graphene sheets, as well as other 2D materials. The company was focused on research institutes, and already sold over 65 systems with a customer list that includes Manchester University, the University of Cambridge, Stanford University and the National University of Singapore.

Grapheal has developed an innovative graphene-based wearable patch for the remote monitoring of chronic wounds. The flexible and transparent graphene-based biosensor enables doctors and nurses to provide hyper-responsive treatment of chronic wounds.

The device will be showcased at Deep Tech EU, at Mobile World Congress 2020, held in Barcelona, Spain on February 24 to 27, 2020. At Deep Tech EU, Graphene Flagship partner Grapheal, a spin-off from CNRS-Grenoble (France) will demonstrate how its wound monitoring technology could change the way the healthcare industry deals with the chronic wound epidemic.

ZEN Graphene Solutions has announced that it plans to open its new pilot plant and research and development facility in Guelph, Canada on March 3, 2020.

Zen states that when the graphite purification pilot plant becomes operational, it will be capable of producing 99.8% high-purity graphite from the 86% flotation concentrate.

Researchers from Loughborough University have created a unique graphene-based device which may unlock the elusive terahertz wavelengths and make revolutionary new technologies possible.

Light in the THz frequencies hits the ‘sandwich’ and is reflected with additional energy. Credit: Loughborough University

Terahertz waves (THz) are located between microwaves and infrared in the light frequency spectrum, but due to their low energy, scientists have been unable to harness their potential. This issue is known as the "terahertz gap".

The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy (FE) has selected three projects to receive approximately USD$3 million in federal funding for cost-shared research and development projects.

Among these projects is a laboratory-scale coal-derived graphene process the University of North Dakota will demonstrate a laboratory-scale coal-derived graphene process to produce graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, and graphene quantum dots starting from domestic US coal.

A team of researchers at the University of Michigan, led by Zhaohui Zhong, Jeffrey Fessler and Theodore Norris of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, has created a 3D camera made from a stack of transparent graphene photodetectors that can capture and focus on objects that are different distances away from the camera lens. The device might find use in applications as diverse as biological imaging, driverless cars and robotics.

Image credit: Stephen Alvey, University of Michigan

Most of today’s optical imaging systems use a flat optical detector to record the intensity of light reflected from an object at each pixel. However, since these systems detect light in only one plane, all the information concerning the direction of the light rays is lost. This means that the recorded images are simple 2D projections of the actual 3D object being imaged.

Directa Plus has reportedly won a second contract for its graphene-enhanced oil contaminant treatment Grafysorber through subsidiary Setcar. The contract is with GSP Offshore, part of the Romanian oil services group GSP, and worth €5 million over a seven-year period.

GSP already has an eight-year agreement with Romanian oil and gas group OMV Petrom, another partner of Directa Plus. Setcar will treat oil-contaminated water and soil, residual drilling fluids treatment and clean oil storage tanks.