Graphene supplier and product manufacturer Nano Graphene (AKA GrapheneCA) has announced that it is adding a new antimicrobial product to protect glass surfaces in public and private places from dangerous microorganisms.

GrapheneCA has developed a new graphene-improved ceramic-based coating with a built-in antimicrobial additive for protection of various types of glass for up to 2 years. The superhydrophobic coating constantly guards surfaces, which is particularly important in-between the regular cleaning cycles. Produced jointly with a global aerospace specialty coating maker, the antimicrobial product is user-friendly and easy to apply. Once applied, it dries within 20 minutes, and is invisible to the human eye.

SpaceBlue, a UK-based start-up company, has launched the first of a range of products aimed at reducing wastage from vehicle tires, supported by the Graphene Engineering Innovation Center's (GEIC) ERDF Bridging the Gap program at The University of Manchester.

Credit: University of Manchester

In conjunction with the GEIC, Dr. Vivek Koncherry developed SpaceMat—a flooring product that uses graphene to improve the performance of recycled tire rubber compared to previous efforts.

A joint international research team, including teams from POSTECH of South Korea, Raytheon BBN Technologies, Harvard University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the U.S., Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology in Spain, and the National Institute for Materials Science in Japan, has developed ultrasensitive sensors that can detect microwaves with the highest theoretically possible sensitivity. The research findings are drawing attention as an enabling technology for commercializing next-gen technologies like quantum computers.

Microwave bolometer based on graphene josephson junction. Image credit: Raytheon BBN Technologies and MIT

Microwave is used in a wide range of scientific and technological fields, including mobile communications, radar, and astronomy. Currently, microwave power can be detected using a device called bolometer. A bolometer usually consists of three materials: Electromagnetic absorption material, a material that converts electromagnetic waves into heat, and a material that converts the generated heat into electrical resistance. The bolometer calculates the amount of electromagnetic waves absorbed using the changes in the electrical resistance. Using the semiconductor-based diodes such as silicon and gallium arsenide in the bolometer, the sensitivity of the state-of-the-art commercial bolometer operating at room temperature is limited at 1 nanowatt (1 billionth of a watt) by averaging for a second.

Caltech researchers have developed a new type of multiplexed test (a test that combines multiple kinds of data) with a low-cost sensor that may enable the at-home diagnosis of a COVID infection through rapid analysis of small volumes of saliva or blood, without the involvement of a medical professional, in under 10 minutes.

When attached to supporting electronics, the sensor can wirelessly transmit data to the user's cell phone through Bluetooth. Credit: Caltech, image from Phys.org

The research was conducted in the lab of Wei Gao, assistant professor in the Andrew and Peggy Cherng department of medical engineering. Previously, Gao and his team developed wireless sensors that can monitor conditions such as gout, as well as stress levels, through the detection of extremely low levels of specific compounds in blood, saliva, or sweat.

University of Arkansas researchers have developed a circuit capable of capturing graphene's thermal motion and converting it into an electrical current. An energy-harvesting circuit based on graphene could be incorporated into a chip to provide clean, limitless, low-voltage power for small devices or sensors, said Paul Thibado, professor of physics and lead researcher in the discovery.

The findings reportedly prove a theory the physicists developed at the U of A three years ago that freestanding graphene ripples and buckles in a way that holds promise for energy harvesting.

An experimental graphene-based perovskite solar farm has been operating in Greece for several months, and early results are said to be very promising when it comes to power output and efficiency.

Located at the Hellenic Mediterranean University in Crete and spearheaded by the EU’s Graphene Flagship, the new solar farm consists of nine grapheneperovskite panels with a total area of 4.5m² and a total output of approximately 261 watt-peak (Wp).