Researchers from Rice University have discovered that hexagonal Boron Nitride (h-BN, which has a similar structure to graphene and is sometimes referred to as "white graphene") may be used as a very effective anti-rust metal coating that can prevent the metal from oxidizing at very high temperatures (up to 1,100 degrees Celsius). Even while layer of h-BN may be enough to be used as a protective coating.

The researchers made small sheets of h-BN on nickel foil using CVD. They say that the process should be scalable for industrial production. The researchers also tested growing h-BN on graphene, and transferring h-BN sheets to copper and steel.

Researchers from Columbia University managed to p-dope (remove electrons) graphene with Boron. The same researchers already showed two years ago that it is possible to n-dope (add electrons) graphene with Nitrogen atoms.

The Boron doping does not significantly modify the basic graphene structure (this is also true for Nitrogen n-doping). The researchers report that one Boron atom bonds to 3 neighboring carbon atoms, and each dopant contributes roughly half a hole (a hole is the absence of an electron).

Veeco Instruments announced that the University of Nottingham in the UK purchased two GENxplor R&D Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) Systems for its School of Physics and Astronomy. The University will use the systems to grow high-quality large-area graphene and boron nitride for electronic and optoelectronic applications.

Veeco's MBE systems can deposit epitaxial graphene layers on substrates up to 3" in diameter. The company says that their vertical chamber technology enables them to build smaller MBE systems - up to 40% smaller than the competition. The MBE is an open architecture that provides convenient access to effusion cells and e-beam sources.

In April 2013 American Graphite Technologies (AGT) announced it is planning to collaborate with Ukraine's Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology ("KIPT") on graphene-based working materials for 3D printing. AGT announced today that the project (called P600) received final approval from the Science and Technology Centre Ukraine (STCU).

The project aims to develop new nanocarbon contained matter as the working material for 3D printing. The team will use several carbon-based materials, primarily graphene. The project team will consist of 8 scientists and PhDs with experience in the fields of nanotechnology, 3D printing, solid state physics, physical materials and thermal physics.

Researchers from Manchester University have demonstrated that graphene can be used to investigate how light interacts (via plasmon resonance) with gold nanostructures of different shape, size and geometry. This could lead to more efficient solar cells and photo detectors.

The researchers explain that when light shines on a metal particle smaller than the wavelength of the light, the electrons in the particle start to move back and forth along with the light wave. This causes an increase in the electric field at the surface of the particle. When two such metal particles are close to each other, the oscillating electrons in the two particles interact with each other, forming an even higher electric field which results in a coupling between the two particles. Up until now it was difficult to experimentally observe and measure the magnitude of this coupling and electric field.

Researchers from Swinburne University of Technology developed a way to record holographic coding in a graphene oxide polymer composite. This may lead to very safe and secure discs that can retain the holographic information even when broke.

The researchers used an ultrashort laser beam on the graphene oxide polymer, which created a 10 to 100 times increase in the refractive-index (the measure of the bending of light as it passes through a medium) of the graphene oxide along with a decrease in its fluorescence. This offers a new mechanism for multimode optical recording.

Thermene launched a new product based on graphene - the Thermene Graphene Thermal Paste is based on graphene-oxide flakes and is aimed towards CPU cooling. The company just started selling this new product a few days ago. For $20 you can buy 3 ml of Thermene which should be enough for about a dozen CPUs.

Thermene is easy to use - it comes with a simple paint brush and you simply apply it to your CPU surface. The material takes 10 hours to cure.

Researchers from the Universities of Bielefeld and Ulm (both in Germany) developed a new way to produce graphene using aromatic molecules. This new process enables the production of large sheets and also small flakes, quantum dots and nanoribbons (GNRs). It could also be used to create multi-layered graphene.

The researchers start with copper single-crystals or low-cost polycrystalline copper foils as substrates. They then deposit aromatic biphenyl thiol molecules in a self-organised single layer. Finally, the irradiate the deposited materials using low-energy electrons and then thermal process it. This turns the bipheyl thiol into graphene.

Covetics is a new hybrid made from high-strength carbon and metal, and it is the first bonded nanocarbon-metal material with significantly enhanced properties that can survive repeated melting cycles. Silver-based covetics were found to respond to physical and mechanical loadings in a superior way than polymers or metals. Covetics can improve thermal and electrical conductivity and yield strength and resist corrosion and oxidation.

A company called Third Millennium Materials (or TM²) was established in the US to commercialize this new material, invented by the company's founders. The company was awarded five patents to date, including one in early 2013 for the metal-carbon composition and the invention of silver covetic. The company filed 15 patents for 15 different Covetics metal elements.

Graphene Nanochem reported their financial results for H1 2013, with £10.1 million in revenue (down from £19.1 million in H1 2012), an operating loss of £800,000 and a net loss of £5.4 million ($8.7 million USD). This is the company's first financial statement since they raised $50 million and started trading in the UK's AIM in March 2013.

The company also reported that they did not start selling their graphene-enhanced drilling fluid as planned. The company said the well site for the initial deployment hasn't been chosen yet and that's the reason for the delay. The company, however, is "very close" to rolling out this material. PlatDrill, the world's first graphene-enhanced drilling fluid has better lubricity and load bearing capability and a higher viscosity stability compared to existing fluids.