September 2024

INBRAIN Neuroelectronics has announced the world’s first human procedure of its cortical interface in a patient undergoing brain tumor resection. INBRAIN’s BCI technology was able to differentiate between healthy and cancerous brain tissue with micrometer-scale precision.

This milestone represents an advancement in demonstrating the ability of graphene-based BCI technology beyond decoding and translating brain signals, to become a reliable tool for use in precision surgery in diseases such as cancer, and in neurotechnology more broadly. The study was sponsored by the University of Manchester, and primarily funded by the European Commission’s Graphene Flagship project. The clinical investigation study was conducted at Salford Royal Hospital.

Alienware debuted its Pro Mouse and Keyboard in January at CES 2024, and now the company is introducing the Pro Headset as part of the series. 

The headphones incorporate various technologies, including 50mm drivers that are coated with graphene to reduce distortion commonly found at higher frequencies. 

Advanced Material Development (AMD) has entered into a commercial and technical collaboration with Xyntra Chemicals, a prominent player in the supply, manufacture, and development of polymers. The collaboration aims to develop a range of unique customized latex polymers to support AMD’s colorimetric smart sensing technologies. These polymers will be enhanced by graphene, along with additional nanomaterials. 

The immediate priority of the new partnership is to optimize Xyntra’s polymer technology to support the early-stage production of AMD's innovative vaccine vial monitor technology and create the production-ready formula that will enable Xyntra to manufacture the solution at scale under license.

First Graphene has secured an agreement with Halocell Energy to supply graphene for the manufacture of perovskite solar cells.

The initial two-year agreement will result in First Graphene providing its PureGRAPH material to Halocell for use as a high-performing coating for perovskite solar cells. By incorporating PureGRAPH into its products, Halocell Energy hopes to expedite its manufacturing process and enhance light absorbing performance, which will enable the company to scale up commercial production to meet demand.

A research team from Skoltech, MIPT, Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics of Russian Academy of
Sciences, and other scientific organizations recently conducted a study to determine which conditions are the most suitable for storing graphene oxide.

The results showed that the most optimal conditions for graphene oxide, when its properties will not change, are low temperatures and a lack of light. 

Directa Plus PLC said that it expects to underperform against market expectations as it posted a larger interim loss, citing shorter term headwinds and an extended timeline for the award of a substantial tender for its subsidiary Setcar, which deals with the decontamination of industrial plants and environmental services.

The Company said pretax loss widened to €2.5 million in the first half of 2024, from €1.9 million a year ago. Revenue fell 26% to €3.4 million from €4.6 million. Employee benefit expenses increased to €2.3 million from €2.2 million. Costs for raw materials and consumables decreased to €1.5 million from €2.2 million.

National Highways has reportedly launched a further graphene-enhanced asphalt trial, this time on a one-kilometer section of the A12 between Hatfield Peverel and Witham, east of England. The first trial came in August 2021, when graphene was added to bitumen on the A1 in the North East.

The latest project saw a new surface laid on the A12 northbound, containing 40% reclaimed asphalt - thought to be the highest level ever used in the UK for asphalt with graphene-enhanced polymeric modifier. The performance will be monitored over several years by AtkinsRéalis, which will look at its carbon footprint and whole-life benefits, measuring it against a control section of standard polymer-modified bitumen asphalt.

University of Illinois Chicago scientists have created a new platform to study materials at the level of individual molecules. The approach is a significant breakthrough for creating nanotechnologies that could revolutionize computing, energy and other fields.

Two-dimensional materials, such as graphene, are made from a single layer of atoms. Studying and designing these ultrathin materials requires highly specialized methods. The laboratory of Nan Jiang, associate professor of chemistry and physics at UIC, pioneered a new method to simultaneously examine the structural, electronic and chemical properties of these nanomaterials. The platform combines two scientific approaches — scanning probe microscopy and optical spectroscopy — to view materials and assess how they interact with chemicals.

NanoXplore has reported its financial results for the year ended June 30, 2024. Record total revenues of CAD$38,125,566 (around USD$28,168,000) were reported, compared to CAD$33,318,964 (around USD$24,616,000) last year, representing a 14% increase; Loss of CAD$2,421,110 (USD$1,789,000) compared to CAD$2,003,549 (USD$1,480,000) last year.

Additional numbers included adjusted EBITDA of CAD$2,488,304 compared to CAD$526,140 last year; Adjusted EBITDA of CAD$3,329,793 compared to CAD$1,130,962 last year for the Advanced Materials, Plastics and Composite Products segment; Adjusted EBITDA loss of CAD$841,489 compared to CAD$604,822 last year for the Battery Cells segment (VoltaXplore initiative); Total liquidity of CAD$36,504,880 as at June 30, 2024, including cash and cash equivalents of CAD$26,504,880; Total long-term debt of CAD$6,346,503 as at June 30, 2024, down by CAD$1,529,385 compared to June 30, 2023.

While silk protein has been used in designer electronics, its use is currently limited in part because silk fibers are a messy tangle of spaghetti-like strands. To address this, researchers from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, University of Washington, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, North Carolina State University and Xiamen University have developed a uniform two-dimensional (2D) layer of silk protein fragments, or "fibroins," on graphene. 

Scheme of silk fibroin assembly on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) characterized by in situ AFM. Image from Science Advances

The scientists explained that their work provides a reproducible method for silk protein self-assembly that is essential for designing and fabricating silk-based electronics. They said that the system is nontoxic and water-based, which is vital for biocompatibility.