Graphene 3D printing: introduction and market status - Page 7

Researchers from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and UC Santa Cruz (UCSC) have designed a technique that could double the performance of 3D printed graphene-based supercapacitors. The new technique involves sandwiching lithium ion and perchlorate ion between layers of graphene in aerogel electrodes—a process which greatly improves the capacity of the electrodes while maintaining the high rate capability of the devices.

The 3D printing process used by the researchers to build the supercapacitors is a form of direct ink writing, consisting of two ion-intercalation steps before the hydrolysis of perchlorate ion intercalation compounds. According to the team this two-step electrochemical process increases the surface area of graphene-based materials for charge storage, as well as the number of pseudo-capacitive sites that contribute additional storage capacity.

Researchers at the University of Maryland have developed a method to 3D print heating elements. The created heating elements could be very small and at the same time they can create high temperatures.

Heating elements may have various uses, like ones for chemical reactions that often need some sort of heating to work. For this purpose it was common to use a laser to create high temperatures at a small scale, but it is very expensive and doesn’t provide a consistent temperature. This is why researchers decided to develop a new technique to 3D print very small heating elements.

Versarien has announced that it has teamed up with E3D Online Ltd, a 3D printing specialist, to carry out initial trials using graphene. Versarien aims to ascertain whether 3D printed parts can benefit from the use of graphene provided by Versarien’s 2D-Tech subsidiary.

The company states that 3D printing is one of a number of graphene applications it is investigating and is an example of graphene moving from the lab to the real world.

Graphene 3D Lab has announced a third line of business, the Industrial Materials Division, to be devoted to development of high volume graphene-infused polymers for the automotive, robotics, drone, aerospace and military industries. This line will join the company's two main ones: graphene production and commercialization of 3D Printing technologies.

As a step in this direction, G3L has finalized installation and testing of a state of the art twin-screw extruder manufactured by Thermo Fisher. This specialized equipment allows the company to create advanced composite materials with exceptional accuracy in shorter working times. The extruder will help to incorporate graphene into materials well suited for industrial production of new or existing products that are lighter, stronger, and more flexible than their current commercial counterparts. The company will now be able to respond faster to the increased demand from manufacturers.

American Graphite Technologies announced that it has extended its agreement with the Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology (KIPT) and Science and Technology Centre in Ukraine (STCU) to further its research of its 3D graphene printing project, called P-600. The project was launched in 2013, as a cooperation between these institutes to research the possibility of using graphene-based materials as the working materials for 3D printing.

American Graphite Technologies representatives state that they are encouraged by the progress that the team has made to date and are very excited about extending the P-600 research project. American Graphite Technologies Inc. is funding project P-600, and hold the rights to all intellectual property developed from the project.

Researchers at Kansas State University, University of Buffalo and the State University of New York have designed a new technique for 3D printing graphene aerogels with complex microstructures. The technique combines drop-on-demand 3D printing with freeze casting.

Aerogels are light and spongy materials that can be used as both thermal and optical insulators and can potentially be used as batteries and catalysts within electronic components. Recent years have brought about methods in which aerogels can be produced with certain 3D printers. The scientists have now developed a new 3D printing technique for producing graphene aerogels, which they hope will open up new uses for the material.

Scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and UC Santa Cruz have demonstrated what might be the world's first 3D-printed graphene composite aerogel supercapacitor, using a technique known as direct-ink writing. The researchers suggest that their ultra-lightweight graphene aerogel supercapacitors may open the door to novel designs of highly efficient energy storage systems for smartphones, wearables, implantable devices, electric cars and wireless sensors.

The key factor in developing these novel aerogels is creating an extrudable graphene oxide-based composite ink and modifying the 3D printing method to accommodate aerogel processing. The 3D-printed graphene composite aerogel (3D-GCA) electrodes are lightweight, highly conductive, and exhibit excellent electrochemical properties. Supercapacitors using these 3D-GCA electrodes with thicknesses on the order of millimeters display exceptional capacitive retention (ca. 90% from 0.5 to 10 A·g−1) and power densities (>4 kW·kg−1).

Researchers at the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology have managed to print graphene oxide onto different materials, including paper, and use it as a touch sensitive electronic device. They transferred graphene oxide coated on a wax printed membrane to paper, an adhesive film and even a t-shirt by simply using pressure and water, and also printed graphene oxide onto plastic and, as the oxide conducts electricity, used it as a touch sensitive LED switch.

Graphene 3D Lab announced the initiation of a non-brokered private placement of up to 3,400,000 units to raise up to CND$850,000 in gross proceeds (around $619,000 USD). Each Unit will consist of one common share and one non-transferable share purchase warrant.

The company stated that proceeds of this financing will be used primarily for expansion of its business and for general working capital purposes.

Graphene 3D Lab has announced filing a provisional patent for a process of 3D printing an OLED light source that immediately functions when printed, with a graphene coated transparent conductor window. This unique structure is the product of an innovative multi-functional 3D Printer, which can make thin films as well as 3D structures.

The printer patent relates to a technology that should lead the industry in multiple deposition techniques, robotic manipulator, laser and UV curing capabilities. G3L considers the new IP a dramatic leap forward, offering the ability to 3D print with multiple functional materials at the same time, including the ability to 3D print a working light. This printer was reportedly designed to maximize the attributes of the functional materials that the company already developed, and plans to introduce in the future to the market.