Graphene applications: what is graphene used for? - Page 2

Researchers from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials and Seoul National University of Science and Technology (SEOULTECH) have shown that laser-induced graphene (LIG), patterned with femtosecond laser pulses, can serve as a versatile material for temperature/strain sensing, stray light absorption, and heat management for smart spacesuits and telescopes. 

Direct laser writing of laser-induced graphene (LIG). Image from: Advanced Functional Materials 

The team has developed a manufacturing technique that addresses the challenges posed by the harsh conditions that space equipment must function in. The scientists' new process uses precisely controlled laser pulses to transform a Kevlar's surface into a porous graphene structure, effectively converting ordinary Kevlar fabric into a multifunctional material. 

A new graphene-based ink, which can be used for printed electronics, has been developed by Danish Graphene, in collaboration with the Danish Technological Institute, in a MADE demonstration project. 

Danish Graphene wanted to develop graphene in ink form to use it for printed electronics, where surfaces are coated with electrical circuits. Therefore, they sought help in a MADE material demonstration project, where they received assistance from the Danish Technological Institute. Graphene inks could be used in smart wearables, such as intelligent t-shirts that can detect small electrical impulses and thus track your pulse, or in training shoes that can analyze your running pattern.

Researchers from Northwestern University and University of California have developed a strategy that prevents frost formation - the team reported a hybrid surface design that passively controls the diffusion of water vapor over a surface to sustain flat frost-free regions for long periods of time. The hybrid anti-frosting technique can prevent frosting for potentially weeks at a time and is scalable, durable and fabricated through 3D printing.

The team found that tweaking the texture of any surface and adding a thin layer of graphene oxide prevents 100% of frost from forming on surfaces for one week or potentially even longer. This is 1,000 times longer than current, state-of-the-art anti-frosting surfaces. As a bonus, the new scalable surface design is also resistant to cracks, scratches and contamination.

Researchers at the Technical University of Liberec (Czech Republic) and Lodz University of Technology (Poland) have developed a silver/graphene flexible composite electrode using inkjet printing technology for high-performance supercapacitors. 

The scientists chose rGO as the primary material for the electrode active layer. The rGO active layer was in-situ printed and reduced on the polypropylene non-woven fabric, and silver nanoparticles were simultaneously inserted and reduced to increase the interlayer spacing of the rGO active layer, which effectively reduced the self-stacking effect of rGO and improved the overall electrochemical performance. 

Researchers at the University of Virginia, Ajou University and Soongsil University have developed an AI-powered system that mimics the human sense of smell to detect and track toxic gases in real time. Using advanced artificial neural networks combined with a network of sensors, the system quickly identifies the source of harmful gases like nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) that poses severe respiratory health risks.

Schematic of biological and artificial olfactory receptor. Biological receptors interact with odor molecules through specific binding, whereas artificial receptors use catalytic dissociation by Pd nano-islands for selective gas molecule adsorption on graphene surfaces. Image credit: Science Advances

The artificial olfactory receptor features nano-islands of metal-based catalysts that cover a graphene surface on the heterostructure of an AlGaN/GaN two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) channel. Catalytically dissociated NO₂ molecules bind to graphene, thereby modulating the conductivity of the 2DEG channel and allowing the system to detect gas leaks with extreme sensitivity.

CRX Coatings, a Tennessee-based company specializing in graphene-formulated coatings, has entered into the boating industry by launching its new X21 Foul Release Bottom Paint.

CRX Coatings has developed a non-ablative, copper free, biocide-free graphene formula specifically for marine applications. Their innovative approach reportedly ensures maximum performance and durability for boat owners.

It was reported that Indian electric vehicle brand Komaki has introduced the new model of Cat 3.0 NXT that comes with two battery variants, Graphene and LIPO4, and will be available for Rs. 1,19,999 (around USD$1400) and Rs. 1,49,999 (almost USD$1800). The unveiling of this EV is aimed at last-mile delivery operators, enabling sustainable all-day use and supporting SMEs and MSMEs in growing their businesses. 

The EV features app-based battery options, Graphene and LIPO4, giving a range of over 180 km to 200 km on a single charge, depending on the battery type. 

Researchers from the University of Virginia, Virginia Transportation Research Council and Turkey's Istanbul Technical University have developed a more sustainable, printable cementitious composite. This new material combines graphene with limestone and calcined clay cement (LC2), and is said to offer enhanced strength and durability while significantly reducing carbon emissions.

"Our goal was to design a printable concrete that performs better and is more eco-friendly," said Osman Ozbulut, a professor at UVA's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. "The addition of graphene to LC2 cement offers a unique opportunity to lower carbon emissions while maintaining the strength and flexibility required for 3D printed construction."

Researchers from Queen Mary University of London and Paragraf Limited have reported a 'significant step forward in the development of graphene-based memristors' for potential use in future computing systems and artificial intelligence (AI). 

This innovation, which has been achieved at wafer scale, begins to pave the way toward scalable production of graphene-based memristors, devices crucial for non-volatile memory and artificial neural networks (ANNs). Memristors are recognized as potential game-changers in computing, offering the ability to perform analogue computations, store data without power, and mimic the synaptic functions of the human brain. The integration of graphene can enhance these devices dramatically, but has been notoriously difficult to incorporate into electronics in a scalable way until recently. 

Polaritons are coupled excitations of electromagnetic waves with either charged particles or vibrations in the atomic lattice of a given material. One of their most attractive properties is the capacity to confine light at the nanoscale, which is even more extreme in two-dimensional (2D) materials. 2D polaritons have been investigated by optical measurements using an external photodetector. However, their effective spectrally resolved electrical detection via far-field excitation remains unexplored. This hinders their exploitation in crucial applications such as sensing, hyperspectral imaging, and optical spectrometry, banking on their potential for integration with silicon technologies. 

Recently, researchers from Spain's ICFO, the University of Ioannina, Universidade do Minho, the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Kansas State University, the National Institute for Materials Science (Tsukba, Japan), POLIMA (University of Southern Denmark) and URCI (Institute of Materials Science and Computing, have reported on the electrical spectroscopy of polaritonic nanoresonators based on a high-quality 2D-material heterostructure, which serves at the same time as the photodetector and the polaritonic platform. Subsequently, the team electrically detected these mid-infrared resonators by near-field coupling to a graphene pn-junction. The nanoresonators simultaneously exhibited extreme lateral confinement and high-quality factors.