The U.S based Graphene Frontiers, developer of graphene materials and device technology, announced securing a U.S patent (No. 8,822,308) for the transfer of graphene films between surfaces using roll-to-roll processes.

The patented process is meant to be a cost-effective, etch-free transfer process, allowing manufacturers to avoid dissolving or consuming the substrate metal. It is reportedly also compatible with other materials, including nanomaterials.

According to the Korean IP Office, in 2013 4,255 graphene related patents were applied for in Korea - up from only 57 in 2008. Korea is the leading country in terms of graphene patents, followed by the US (3,559) and Japan (1,583).

In the US there were 1,262 graphene patents filed by non-US research organizations, and 47% of those (603 patents) were filed by Korean organizations.

Future Carbon, a carbon nanomaterials and supercomposites developer and manufacturer, announced that is acquired several graphene and CNT patents from Bayer.

Future Carbon hopes to commercialize Bayer's technology. Bayer themselves withdrew from the CNT market in 2013. Bayer has been researching carbon nanotubes for over 10 years and the IP includes complex issues relating to safe production and methods for scaling up the production processes. Bayer's IP also includes next-generation catalysts and new product grades.

Last month Cientifica signed an exclusivity agreement with London Graphene to develop technology using graphene for energy storage. Today Cientifica announced that London Graphene signed an option agreement with ISIS Innovation (the technology transfer office for the University of Oxford) to license a patent filed by Isis Innovation.

This patent application details a 2D nanomaterial CVD-based production process that can be used to make high quality graphene on copper foil. This patent will be used in the company's energy storage project, and in fact the option is exclusive to the fields of capacitors and batteries.

UK-based IP Group announced that it extended its commercialization agreement with the University of Manchester (via its technology transfer company, UMI3), to include Proof-of-Principle (PoP) funding for graphene projects. The IP Group will also commit a further 2.5 million GBP ($4.1 million) per the revised terms of the agreement.

IP Group is a developer of IP-based business. One of its portfolio companies is Applied Graphene Materials that recently raised £10 million by going public in the UK's AIM stock exchange.

Two months ago, Graphene Labs and Lomiko Metals launched a new company called Graphene 3D Labs that focuses on the development of high-performance graphene-enhanced materials for 3D Printing. Now we hear that Graphene 3D Lab filed a provisional patent application for the use of graphene-enhanced material, along with other materials, in 3D printing. This will enable the 3D printing of electronics devices - such as electronic circuits, sensors, or batteries.

The company's CEO, Daniel Stolyarov, says that they use Lomiko's high-quality graphene as the base material for producing graphene nanoplatelets, due to their cost and consistency in quality. The company says that adding graphene to polymers which are conventionally used in 3D printing improves the properties of the polymer in many different ways; it improves the polymers mechanical strength as well as its electrical and thermal conductivity.

CVD Equipment developed a new method to produce large-size high-quality CVD graphene in increased quantity and at a lower cost. The company filed provisional patents covering the technology.

The company says they actually developed "classes of production solutions" that can be tailored for different graphene applications. The company plans to ship new CVD systems that use this technology (called EasyTube) in Q2 2014. They are also developing more platforms. 

Three weeks ago we launched the Graphene Patent Newsletter, a daily newsletter that provides graphene patents updates from over 85 patent offices worldwide. When we launched, we offered a special launch discount: $100 off the normal yearly subscription rate ($300). This discount is only valid until November 21st, so here's your last chance to enjoy this discount. If you haven't done so yet, contact us now to activate your free 2-week trial or order your subscription!

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The Korean Intellectual Property Office posted some interesting figures today. They report that Korean companies are securing essential patents related to the commercialization of graphene - and several companies are making inroads into graphene production and manufacturing transparent graphene-based displays.

Between 2005 and June 2013 a total of 2,921 graphene-related patents have been applied for in Korea, and the rate is accelerating quickly. 93% of those patents have been applied for by Korean individuals and organizations.