Patents

Skoltech researchers have patented a method that enables producing arbitrarily shaped functional graphene components on a transparent substrate with 100-nanometer resolution, which could be especially suited for flexible and transparent electronics. The new approach reportedly helps avoid defects that arise during graphene transfer between substrates and strongly affect the material’s quality.

“Flexible and transparent electronics is typically associated with wearable biosensors that monitor vital signs, such as heart rate, breathing, and blood oxygenation, and relay them to a smartphone or fitness band,” Skoltech PhD student Aleksei Shiverskii, one of the inventors, said. “An affordable and efficient technology that at first may seem impractical soon becomes a ubiquitous and indispensable appliance, like a bluetooth electric kettle or a wifi vacuum cleaner. I believe that someday flexible and transparent electronics will become a fixture, too.”

Novusterra, a U.S-based company focused on developing and commercializing high-value products and applications for graphene and carbon nanostructures, has announced that it has acquired the exclusive rights to patents for graphene and carbon nanostructure from American Resources Corporation in exchange for $16 million of Class A common Novusterra shares.

Andrew Weeraratne, CEO of Novusterra, commented, "We are excited to complete this transaction to drive fundamental value for our shareholders and build a world class team to help navigate the growth of the company in the future. The technologies are a gamechanger when it comes to the graphene and carbon nanostructure industry given the low-cost feed stock (waste carbon) that is utilized in the manufacturing process. Not only are we able to clean up the environment but also produce some of the highest quality products and applications in the world for the sustainable infrastructure and electrification industry".

Electronics and computer giant Dell has patented the design of a graphene-enhanced detachable clip for laptop computers, meant for wireless charging.

The clip uses a printed graphene charging coil built with a ferrite sheet as well as magnetic elements to hold the clip in place. This reportedly avoids increasing the size and thickness of the laptop. When the clip is installed on the laptop, charging circuitry is configured to supply inductive power to charge an auxiliary device such as a smartphone.

A team of researchers from the Institute for Plasmas and Nuclear Fusion (IPFN), Instituto Superior Técnico, have reported a new process to fabricate free-standing graphene using plasma technology, at much lower production cost than the other existing market solutions.

The invention was granted the first international patent on the Process, reactor and system for fabrication of free-standing two-dimensional nanostructures using plasma technology (ref. US 11254575B2), by the US Patent Office.

Haydale has filed a joint patent with Airbus which covers the intellectual property jointly generated by Haydale and Airbus under the multi-party NATEP-supported Graphene Composites Evaluated in Lightning Strike Project, or GraCELS-2.

The group said that GraCELS-2 was designed to confirm that the 'incorporation of functionalized graphene/2D fillers could produce the next iteration of composite materials with significantly improved lightning strike performance compared to existing current carbon/epoxy systems alleviating the need for copper mesh'.

Directa Plus has recently been awarded a patent in Italy to make golf balls using its G+ graphene enhancement. G+ compounds in golf balls can reportedly make professionals hit them even further while less skilled players will enjoy improved swing and shot control.

"Using our G+ product in golf balls, for both the amateur and professional game is an exciting opportunity to enter a large sporting market," said Giulio Cesareo, the firm's chief executive.

First Graphene is collaborating with Flinders University to launch 2D Fluidics - a company that will aim to commercialize the Vortex Fluidic Device (VFD). 2D Fluidics is 50% owned by FGR and 50% by Flinders University’s newly named Flinders Institute for NanoScale Science and Technology.

The VFD was invented by the Flinders Institute for NanoScale Science and Technology’s Professor Colin Raston and enables new approaches to producing a wide range of materials such as graphene and sliced carbon nanotubes. The key intellectual property used by 2D Fluidics comprises two patents around the production of carbon nanomaterials, assigned by Flinders University.

Haydale, the global advanced materials group, has filed a patent application in the UK for a its PATit anti-counterfeiting technology, which uses proprietary software codes and a specialty graphene-based, transparent conductive ink. The graphene-based ink can be printed onto products and then ‘read’ by a device to prove their authenticity

The advanced materials group stated that it wants to initially target the anti-counterfeiting market as it is expected to double over the next four years to be worth more than US$200 billion by 2021. Haydale added that the filing of the application is an important in allowing it to begin discussions on potential commercial applications of the technology.

Ionic Industries recently announced a process for economically mass-producing graphene micro supercapacitors and added that its directors and key personnel have taken direct stakes in the company.

Ionic stated that since it published the positive results on its graphene micro planar supercapacitors 2 years before, the company has been working toward developing a device that not only demonstrates similar performance but can be produced at scale to deliver an economically viable device.

Apple was granted a new patent (filed in 2015) that details an audio device that uses a diaphragm made from a graphene-enhanced composite material. Apple's graphene membrane can be used in a speaker, microphone or headphone device. The patent specifically includes an image of an iPhone device as an example application.

Apple explains that as devices become smaller and lighter, it is ever more challenging to provide high quality audio using conventional materials - and graphene may improve the mechanical response of the audio device. In addition, in some cases, the use of graphene or graphene flake materials may reduce or eliminate the need for additional external damping.