Carbon nanotubes and graphene - properties, applications and market - Page 7

Researchers from Monash University use graphene and carbon nanotubes to develop a spaser (a nano-laser that emits a beam of light through the vibration of free electrons unlike the electromagnetic wave-emission process of regular lasers).

This new spaser is more robust and flexible compared to regular spasers made from silver and quantum-dots. It can also withstand high temperatures and is eco-friendly.

Researchers from Rice University developed a method to create a hybrid graphene-nanotube material that promises to have a better electrical and mechanical qualities than both materials. They call this new material "rebar graphene" because it resembles the way a rebar is used in concrete.

The researchers say that the resulting material contains large, flexible and conductive transparent sheets of graphene that are much easier to manipulate than pure graphene. A few layers of this new material could prove to be a cost-effective ITO alternative for displays and solar cells.

Future Carbon, a carbon nanomaterials and supercomposites developer and manufacturer, announced that is acquired several graphene and CNT patents from Bayer.

Future Carbon hopes to commercialize Bayer's technology. Bayer themselves withdrew from the CNT market in 2013. Bayer has been researching carbon nanotubes for over 10 years and the IP includes complex issues relating to safe production and methods for scaling up the production processes. Bayer's IP also includes next-generation catalysts and new product grades.

Intel's CEO Brian Krzanic participated in Reddit's Ask Me Anything (AMA) session. One of the questions was "how does the development of Graphene change the game for Intel?"

Here's Brian's answer: "Graphene, carbon nano tubes.. and other 3-5 materials will become very important to semiconductors over the next few years... they will allow us to lower leakage and power while reducing geometries."

UK-based TBA Electro Conductive Products will soon release a new sprayable transparent conductive coating based on a CNT and graphene platelets (GNP) hybrid material. TBA are targeting the food, electronics, pharmaceuticals and petrochemicals markets.

TBA says that the new ATEX-compliant product is available as a clear, anti-static aerosol, and it will also be available as bulk paint. Its application will safeguard electronic equipment used in explosive environments and bring it up to European standards. The product will cost around £20 to £30 per liter which will be enough to cover at least four square meters. The company says it will be very cheap - comparable clear conductive plastic sheeting that cover 2 square meters costs around £600.

A couple of months ago Cientifica raised £241,000 ($389,000) in the UK's stock exchange and the company is now public. According to press releases, Cientifica aims to acquire and build businesses that make use of graphene materials. The company will invest in by buying shares or by buying IP, assets or entering into partnerships of joint-venture arrangements.

Cientifica's CEO Tim Harper was kind enough to answer a few questions I had regarding the company's business and future plans. So first of all - congratulations Tim on the fund raising, the readmission to the AIM and on being the world's first pure-play-graphene applications public company!

Haydale announced that it listed its HDPlas range of graphene (and CNT) materials for trade on the INSCX exchange, a global marketplace for nanomaterials and nanocommodities. The company appointed Fullerex as Haydale's agent.

INSCX is used by both researchers and commercial companies to purchase nanomaterials and products.

Felda Global Ventures Holdings (the world's largest crude palm oil producer, based in Malaysia) signed an agreement with Cambridge Nanosystems to produce graphene and CNT materials as by-products of crude palm oil and other hydrocarbons.

According to the agreement, FGV will provide the raw material while Carbon Nanosystems will provide proprietary technology to produce the carbon materials via a nano-systems technology.

Aixtron announced today that China's National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST) ordered a BM R&D system to grow graphene and CNTs on 2" substrates.

Dr. Qing Dai from NCNST says that their research currently focuses on the characterization of CNTs and on plasmonic properties of graphene. They aim to build nanophotonic devices such as terahertz waveguides. The BM system will also be used to grow 3D nanostructures combining CNT and graphene.

Aixtron announced today that the University of Massachusetts (UMass) ordered a BM-4 deposition system for processing 4-inch substrates. The BM-4 was shipped to the University’s Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center (ETIC).

The system will be used for the integration of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and graphene into a large variety of electronic applications ranging from high frequency transistors, energy storage and flexible electronics. Aixtron says that the BM is a highly flexible system which can deposit both graphene and CNT materials with precisely controlled critical surface dimensions. The BM system also features automatic process control, easy recipe editing, an integrated process camera and remote operation via TCP/IP networking.