Researchers from the Chinese Jilin University, along with Louisiana State University, succeeded in making graphene-enhanced quantum dot-light emitting diodes (QD-LEDs). They fabricated QD-LEDs which show better current efficiency and power efficiency than similar ITO-based devices working at a low current density. The result indicates that graphene can be used as anodes to replace indium tin oxide (ITO) in QD-LEDs.

Single layer graphene was introduced as an electrode into the QD-LED. Graphene-based QD-LEDs performed as well as ones based on ITO anodes and the maximum brightness could meet the minimum brightness requirement of display applications. It demonstrates that single-layer graphene film has great potential to be used in QD-LEDs as an anode. The researchers are now focusing on searching for higher efficiency QDs and optimizing device structures to further improve the efficiency.

Canadian Sunvault Energy has formed the Supervault Energy JV to develop UCLA-patented graphene supercapacitor technology. It announced its plans to soon enter a joint venture which "change the face of renewable energy generation and storage".

The company states that graphene will enable devices that recharge in seconds and that supercapacitors could be scaled up from portable devices, such as smartphones, to charging stations for electric vehicles. The company says that the technology can be scaled up to utility-sized applications and that it intends to incorporate the technology in its solar cells to produce a device capable of generating, transferring and storing energy in one unit.

German scientists at the University of Siegen, along with scientists from the KTH-Royal Institute of Technology in Kista, Sweden, claim that laser annealing can improve the quality of printed graphene (and other 2D materials) inks. This can be beneficial for various applications like flexible electronics devices, including batteries and supercapacitors, transistors, solar cells and displays.

The researchers succeeded in producing uniform, transparent and conductive graphene thin films by simply drop-casting dispersions of the carbon sheet onto a glass surface and combining this drop-casting step with laser annealing. The annealing process involves scanning a laser beam across the surface of the films, which distinctly improves their transparency and how well they conduct electricity.

Zhongguancun Fengtai Science Park in Beijing recently signed a memorandum of understanding and a confidentiality agreement with the UK's National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and Beijing Fengtai New Materials Inspection Institute.

The three parties will cooperate on standard testing and measurement of graphene and two-dimensional materials.

Scientists at the Natural Science Foundation and the Hospital-Public Cross-Link Project of Shanghai Jiao Tong University discovered that graphene oxide might be helpful in eliminating antibiotic-resistant bacteria that causes tooth decay and gum disease.

Graphene oxide is able to inhibit the growth of certain bacterial strains with minimal harm to cells. The researchers tested it against three different species of bacteria that are also linked to tooth decay and gum disease. Findings showed that graphene oxide effectively slowed the growth of the pathogens.

Scientists from Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) and Pohang University of Science and Technology in South Korea synthesised nitrogenated 2D crystals using a simple chemical reaction in liquid phase.

Introducing foreign elements (there are not carbon) into graphene's carbon lattice structure is a known way of developing other 2D crystals. Nitrogen has a suitable atomic size and structure to fit into a strong network of carbon atoms, by creating bonds in which electrons are shared by the whole network.

Researchers at Purdue University designed a new process for coating copper nanowires with graphene, that lowers resistance and heating. This process may suggest potential applications in computer chips and flexible displays, as copper nanowires are essential for efficient data transfer and heat conduction in such applications.

The researchers developed a technique for encapsulating the wires with graphene, which was shown to create hybrid wires that are capable of 15% faster data transmission while lowering peak temperature by 27% compared with uncoated copper nanowires. The graphene coating prevents the copper wires from oxidizing, preserving low resistance and reducing the amount of heating.

The American XG Sciences demonstrated full battery cell cycle stability, through more than 400 charge/discharge cycles, with a charge storage capacity of 600 mAh/gram over a broad voltage window in its next generation silicon graphene anode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

The company states that their latest material is the first commercially viable silicon and graphene based anode formulation to achieve this all important performance threshold, with charge storage capacity of up to 4 times today’s typical anodes, first cycle efficiency of 85-90%, low swelling and life that is more than double the company's previous generation. 

Researchers at the Forschungszentrum Jülich developed a criterion to help scientists identify suitable substrate materials for graphene in a targeted way, in hopes to deal with the known problem of interactions with the substrate material that lead to a loss of graphene's remarkable properties. Together with partners at other institutions, the scientists were able to demonstrate that the influence exerted by the substrate on the electronic properties of graphene can be estimated by means of a simple structural parameter.

The scientists set out to find an accessible parameter which can be used to compare different substrates directly, and the decisive criterion turned out to be the atomic distance between the graphene layer and the underlying substrate. Considering the van der Waals radius—a known value for the size of atoms in their free state—the strength of the interaction can be calculated directly from the distance. Computer simulations confirm this result.

Recent news from NanoXplore successful $2.7M financing round, launch of their three tonnes/year production facility have positioned the company as a leading graphene company, and certainly a major player in North America.

The core of the company appears to be their production process, developed in-house. In addition to large capacity, they claim it creates very high quality (low defect) graphene, functionalized during production to facilitate mixing (dispersion) with a broad range of industrial materials. The range of products shows not only high quality graphene powders, but also a couple of unique offerings. Interestingly, they seem open to licensing their production technology.