The 2D Experimental Pilot Line (2D-EPL), that originated from the Graphene Flagship, recently launched its first customizable wafer run.

As one of five multi-project wafer (MPW) runs, this first phase is targeting sensor applications. Companies, universities and research institutes can include their designs as dies on joint wafers, to test their ideas for devices on a larger scale at relatively low costs. The first 2D-EPL MPW run opened in February and the call closes on 30 June 2022. The manufacturing stage of the MPW run will take place between 1 September and 31 October 2022.

Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has launched a collaborative project to develop 2.5D materials. The project, titled "Science of 2.5 Dimensional Materials: Paradigm Shift of Materials Science Toward Future Social Innovation" includes 40 researchers in Japan, led by Prof. Ago Hiroki at Kyushu University.

2.5D materials are made by stacking different 2D materials artificially by using advanced transfer techniques. These new materials are not limited by lattice constant or composition, and it is possible to control the material layers, and their stacking angle. These new materials could unlock new breakthroughs in materials science.

A Washington State University (WSU) research team recently showed that used single-use masks, of the kind made ubiquitous in the pandemic, can be incorporated into a cement mixture (with the help of graphene oxide) to create stronger, more durable concrete. The team found that the mixture using mask materials was 47% stronger than commonly used cement after a month of curing.

These waste masks actually could be a valuable commodity if you process them properly, said Xianming Shi, professor and interim chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the corresponding author on the paper. I’m always looking out for waste streams, and my first reaction is ‘how do I turn that into something usable in concrete or asphalt?’

Graphene developer G6 Materials reported its financial results for Q1 2022 (ended February 2022). The company's revenues were $337,921, up 28% from last year, and the total loss increased 26% to $404,152.

As of February 28, 2022, total assets were $6.9 million. The company says it saw continued strong demand for its innovative formulations, along with impressive customer response to the relaunch of Graphene Supermarket. The company will soon launch its Breathe+ Pro medical grade air purifier product, and together with several major customer deals in the pipeline, it anticipates a very strong quarter.

Researchers from China's Xiamen University and Hangzhou Dianzi University, working with Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands, have developed graphene-based woven filter membrane with excellent strength and efficiency for water desalination. 

Their development resulted in an efficient water filtering method using these graphene-based woven filter membrane (GWFM), leading to an improvement of water permeation and mechanical properties by the optimization of GWFM membrane and providing a new way to utilize nano-woven membranes for desalination.

WearGraphene recently launched its Gamma graphene-enhanced winter jacket. I have spent a couple of months with this jacket, including two trips to Europe during the springtime, and here's my review.

First of all, the jacket looks very sleek (in my opinion, of course), the material feels of high quality. It is quite light, and packs very easily. There are many pockets, Velcro bands and drawstrings, which is really useful and helps you to customize this jacket so that it fits perfectly.

Canada-based Nova Graphene has been awarded two contracts by Canada’s Department of National Defense's Innovation for Defense Excellence and Security (IDEaS) program, to develop graphene-enhanced materials to protect helicopter rotors from erosion & wear due to exposure to sand, ice, and water.

The ability to fly in degraded visual environments (e.g., rain or sand storms) is operationally advantageous, but tends to result in increased damage to the aircraft, especially erosion damage to the rotary wing blades. Each rotary wing blade has an integral leading edge erosion strip, which when damaged requires the replacement of the entire blade.