Indian scientists have developed a graphene oxide composite paper, loaded with preservatives, that can be used as wrappers to help extend the shelf-life of fruits, stated the Department of Science and Technology.

In the currently used technology, preservatives are adsorbed by the fruit, causing chronic toxicity. In the team's new paper, the wrapper releases the preservative only when needed. The wrapper can also be reused, which is not possible with the present technology.

Two businesses have formed a collaboration to explore the development of a graphene-based archery arrow to aim at the global sporting arrow market which is currently dominated by U.S. Easton.

Arrow products account for one sixth of the $5.2 billion worldwide market of archery equipment and accessories used in sporting, leisure and hunting activities, according to Baek Jong-dae, CEO of archery gears maker Fivics, and Standard Graphene CEO Lee Jung-hoon. The two CEOs believe their technology can compete in this market, once their graphene-based arrows are adopted and used for better performance by players in Korea, the current champion country in Olympic archery.

Fubon Financial Holding, a Taiwan-based financial services business led by the Tsai family, has led a $64 million investment round in U.S. battery maker Nanotech Energy.

The U.S-based graphene materials supplier and graphene-enhanced batteries developer, Nanotech Energy, will use the new Series D funding to build a graphene battery manufacturing facility in Reno, Nevada and open an European headquarters in Amsterdam. The Reno facility is reportedly due to open in the second half of 2022. Nanotech Energy also plans to increase capacity in its current Chico, California factory for graphene itself, graphene-based conductive inks, adhesives, shielding and silver nanowires.

A University of Alberta researcher is working with Canada-based Davey Textile Solutions and other industry partners to reduce the risk of faulty protective gear used by firefighters, with a graphene-based sensor that can detect the gradual breakdown in garments from exposure to heat, moisture and ultraviolet (UV) light.

These fibers age silently and lose their performance, so this sensor technology is a breakthrough in terms of safety for workers exposed to heat and flame, said clothing and textiles scientist Patricia Dolez, the project’s lead researcher and an assistant professor in the U of A Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences (ALES).

Researchers from AMO, Oxford Instruments, Cambridge University, RWTH Aachen University and the University of Wuppertal have demonstrated a new method to use plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) on graphene without introducing defects into the graphene itself.

Currently, the most advanced technique for depositing dielectrics on graphene is atomic layer deposition (ALD), which allows to precisely control the uniformity, the composition and the thickness of the film. The process typically used on graphene and other 2D materials is thermal water-based ALD, as it does not damage the graphene sheet. However, the lack of nucleation sites on graphene limits the quality of the dielectric film, and requires the deposition of a seed layer prior to ALD to achieve good results. Another approach is plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD), which, when applied to growth on graphene, can introduce surface damage. This is what to team addressed in this recent work.

Directa Plus has announced that its subsidiary, Setcar, has been awarded a €1.15 million grant under the EU's Regional Operational Program that supports small and medium-sized enterprises.

The grant will fund the purchase of additional equipment to be used in decontaminating oil and other substance tanks and to provide services for the clean-up of soils contaminated with petroleum products/pollutants.

MIT-led research team uses graphene oxide foam in a device that can extract uranium and other heavy metals from tap water.

Some kinds of water pollution, such as algal blooms and plastics that foul various bodies of water, are found in plain sight. However, other contaminants are not quite as visible, which potentially makes them more dangerous. Among these invisible substances is uranium. Leaching into water resources from mining operations, nuclear waste sites, or from natural subterranean deposits, the element can reach taps worldwide.

Scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) are 3D printing graphene aerogel flow-through electrodes (FTEs), core components of electrochemical reactors used for converting CO₂ and other molecules to useful products.

Benefiting from the design freedom afforded by 3D printing, the researchers demonstrated they could tailor the flow in FTEs, dramatically improving mass transfer the transport of liquid or gas reactants through the electrodes and onto the reactive surfaces. The work opens the door to establishing 3D printing as a viable, versatile rapid-prototyping method for flow-through electrodes and as a promising pathway to maximizing reactor performance, according to researchers.

Researchers from Nagoya University in Japan have designed highly efficient computing devices using graphene-diamond junctions that mimic some of the human brain's functions.

A phenomenon crucial for memory and learning is "synaptic plasticity," the ability of synapses (neuronal links) to adapt in response to increased or decreased activity. Scientists have tried to recreate a similar effect using transistors and "memristors" (electronic memory devices whose resistance can be stored). Recently developed light-controlled memristors, or "photomemristors," can both detect light and provide non-volatile memory, similar to human visual perception and memory. These excellent properties have opened the door to new materials that can act as artificial optoelectronic synapses.

Applied Graphene Materials (AGM) has announced the implementation of a key component of its technology roadmap, following a successful grant application supported by the Tees Valley Business Growth Fund (TVBGF), which supports SMEs in the Tees Valley to grow their business, improve productivity and stimulate local growth.

AGM has installed a new paint and coatings spray booth facility, using the funding secured, to facilitate accelerated internal research and customer developments, offer additional specialist training opportunities for staff, and enable AGM to complete projects more efficiently and with a broader scope.