Directa Plus has reported that a deal to supply a special grade of its G+ graphene product, known as ITC1, to its partner, Iterchimica. The G+ product is the differentiating component of Gipave, an asphalt super-modifier developed by Directa Plus and Iterchimica and follows successful trials in Italy and the UK.

The agreement signed by the companies provides for the exclusive supply of the G+ graphene product to Iterchimica in the asphalt and bitumen sector worldwide and is for an initial duration of three years.

Researchers at Jilin University and Tsinghua University in China have presented a self-healing graphene-based actuator swarm that enables programmable 3D deformation by integrating SU-8 pattern arrays with GO.

(a) Schematic illustration of the fabrication of patterned SU-8/GO bilayer film using UV lithography. (b) The paper model of patterned SU-8/GO ribbon and its predictable moisture-responsive deformation under humidity actuation. Credit: Science China Press

Unlike previously published works, the actuator swarm can realize active and programmable deformation under moisture actuation. Here the SU-8 pattern arrays can be fabricated into any desired structures, in which an individual SU-8 pattern can be considered as an inert layer. In combination with the bottom GO layer, each SU-8 structure can form an individual bimorph actuator and deform actively under stimulation.

A team of researchers from the University of Oxford, Delft University and IBM Zurich has demonstrated that graphene can be used to build sensitive and self-powering temperature sensors. The findings could pave the way for the design of highly sensitive thermocouples, which could be integrated in nanodevices and even living cells.

On-chip temperature sensors that are scalable, reliable and installable into nanodevices are essential for future thermal management in CPUs. By determining the local heating in certain segments of a CPU through the distribution of temperature monitors along critical points, feedback can be provided to a control system. In response, thermal management could allow for the redistribution of the thermal load through spot cooling or load distribution, for instance among different computing cores, avoiding hot spots and enabling a longer device lifetime as well as saving energy. Such temperature sensors should have a small footprint, high accuracy, consume a minimum amount of power and be compatible with established nanofabrication techniques.

UK-based planarTECH has announced an extension to its existing agreement with Thailand-based IDEATI to include the marketing and distribution of its 2AM-branded graphene-enhanced antibacterial face masks.

According to a recent report from market research firm QY Research, global demand for face mask products is growing rapidly in 2020 due to both pollution concerns in developing countries and the recent worldwide outbreak of the Covid-19 virus.

G6 Materials (formerly Graphene 3D Lab) has provided an update from its R&D department regarding the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus and its effects on the economic landscape, and G6 management is reportedly optimizing the business model to accommodate the new reality. As part of this, G6 has developed a graphene-based air purification tech that could help fight the virus.

The CEO of the Company, Daniel Stolyarov, explains, There is an imminent demand for solutions that allow for the removal of viruses from the air and surfaces increasing the safety of the immediate environment. The Company has prioritized work in this sector and plans to address these market needs immediately.

A joint research team from Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER), KAIST, Pusan National University (PNU) and NTU has developed a high-performance re-attachable sticker-type energy storage device. The team developed 're-attachable micro-supercapacitors (MSCs) using highly swollen laser-induced-graphene electrodes.

MSCs are thin-film based ultra-thin supercapacitors that are getting much attention as they are more stable with higher power and energy densities compared to Li thin-film batteries.

MIPT scientists and their colleagues from Japan and the U.S. have calculated the parameters of photodetectors made of layers of graphene and a combination of black phosphorus and black arsenic.

These sensors are able to detect radiation with energy less than the band gap of the constituent layers without graphene. It is also easy to modify them in order to increase their sensitivity to the required wavelength of light. Such sensors could replace any far-infrared and terahertz radiation detectors.

Umeå researchers have shown how activated graphene, activated carbons and other hydrophobic carbons can be dispersed in water in a form of micrometer-sized particles. The key agent that helps to make these dispersions last for days is the use of graphene oxide. The authors have applied for patent for the method to prepare dispersions.

(a)a dense a-rGO aqueous dispersion (b)The dispersion can be prepared in liter amounts. (c)The a-rGO dispersion deposited and dried on a flexible stainless steel substrate shows good adhesion even under bending conditions. (d)Dispersions remain stable

The team explained that graphene, graphite and activated carbons are quite different forms of carbon but they have hydrophobic properties in common. On the other hand, using dispersions or solutions for many applications is a big advantage. Ideally, one can spray or paint graphene dispersion on metal foil and prepare e.g. electrode material by simply drying.

Italy-based Kemind Srl developed new graphene-enhanced glue concepts, that have been applied to its corrugating production process. It is reported that the new glue increases production efficiency, reduces costs and improves quality for several of Kemind's corrugated board products.

Kemind is using 2DFab's graphene, and the company reports that it is possible to achieve an increase of between 30-50% in the double and triple walled heavy grades production, while energy and glue consumption in single and double walled board grades can be reduced substantially.

Researchers at Berkeley Lab, in collaboration with the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) in South Korea, Monash University in Australia, and UC Berkeley, have developed a technique that produces atomic-scale 3D images of nanoparticles tumbling in liquid between sheets of graphene.

This is an exciting result. We can now measure atomic positions in three dimensions down to a precision six times smaller than hydrogen, the smallest atom, said study co-author Peter Ercius, a staff scientist at Berkeley Lab’s Molecular Foundry.