Researchers from Columbia University, Harvard University, RWTH Aachen University, University of Innsbruck, Drexel University, National Institute for Materials Science in Japan, University of Minnesota and others have studied twisted double sheets of bilayer graphene and have found an electronic nematic phase.

First described in another state of matter called a liquid crystal, a nematic phase occurs when particles in a material break an otherwise symmetrical structure and come to loosely orient with one another along the same axis. This phenomenon is the basis of the LCD display commonly used in televisions and computer monitors. In an electronic nematic phase, the particles in question are electrons, whose behavior and arrangement in a material can influence how well that material will conduct an electrical current in different directions.

In a new UK-funded research, scientists from Paragraf and Queen Mary University of London have successfully fabricated an Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) with a monolayer graphene anode instead of the problematic ITO.

Graphene OLED. Sapphire substrate/monolayer graphene/NPB: 50 nm/Alq3: 50 nm/LiF: 1.5 nm/Al: 100 nm. Image from study in AOM

Professor Colin Humphreys of Queen Mary and Paragraf, says: Because of its importance and scarcity there have been many attempts to replace ITO, but no material has been found to have a comparable performance in an electronic or optical device until now. Our paper is the first paper in the world to demonstrate that graphene can replace ITO in an electronic/optical device. We have shown that a graphene-OLED has identical performance to an ITO-OLED. ITO-OLEDs are widely used as the touch screens on our mobile phones.

realme has announced its new GT 2 series, marking the company’s first steps into the premium segment. The GT 2 series, equipped with various top-notch gear and AMOLED panels, is also said to be sporting a graphene-based cooling system.

As is the case with various other mobile phones and gadgets by the likes of Huawei and ZTE, the new GT 2 series will use a 3D liquid-cooled VC and graphene sheet cooling technology.

Researchers from the University of Nevada have investigated the introduction of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) to canola oil to improve its tribological properties, as part of an effort to reduce the usage of lubricants based on petroleum as lubricants for reducing abrasion and friction.

Three nanoscale lubricating combinations were created by combining both GNP and hBN settings in varied ratios to get the best beneficial synergy. The team reports that lubrication quality and performance may be increased by using low-weight percentages of nanoparticle (NP) and microparticle additions. One benefit is that it has a reduced coefficient of friction (COF) and wearing.