Graphene Oxide: Introduction and Market News - Page 33

A scientist from the American Washington University, by the name of John D. Fortner (PhD), received the prestigious Faculty Early Career Development Award (CAREER) from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The five-year, $500,000 award is for his project titled Development and Application of Crumpled Graphene Oxide-Based Nanocomposites as a Platform Material for Advanced Water Treatment.

Fortner will aim to develop 3D nanoscale composites made of crumpled graphene oxide as multifunctional platform materials for advanced water treatment technologies. Along with material synthesis and characterization, he plans to develop a range of membrane assemblies for advanced water treatment, including crumpled graphene oxide nanocomposites, which are highly water-permeable, photoreactive and antimicrobial. There is a patent pending for this platform technology.

The Chinese LeaderNano recently launched its first graphene production line that can produce 2-3 tons of graphene powder a year, as part of the first phase of the company’s graphene industrial park.

Phase 1 is planned to grow to include 10 powder production lines and improve capacities of graphene products: goals are set at around 30 tons of graphene powder a year, 150 tons of graphene oxide powder, 1,000 tons of graphene pulp and 1,000 tons of graphene anticorrosive paint. In addition, the industry park will produce 5 to 7 kinds of multi-function special graphene according to demand of different industries, and capacity for each variety may be 3-5 t/a.

Researchers from Nanjing Forestry University and the University of Maryland have designed unique microfibers that are a hybrid of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets and one-dimensional nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) fibers.

The result is superbly aligned strong microfibers that can potentially be better than carbon fibers and are even relatively cheap. The hybrid material is much stronger than its components apart, and molecular dynamics simulations reveal a strong synergistic effect between the GO and the NFC. the 1D NFC fibers can act as a string of sorts, to hold together 2D sheets, while the GO sheets can bridge NFC fibers together for extra strong binding. 

Korean Scientist at the university of Yonsei in Seoul and the Korean Institute of Ceramic Engineering & Technology designed round graphene microparticles by spraying graphene oxide droplets into a hot solvent. This technique could pose a versatile and simple approach to making electrode materials for batteries and supercapacitors with improved energy and power densities.

The researchers' particles comprise of graphene nanosheets radiating out from the center, an arrangement that increases the exposed surface area of the graphene and creates open nanochannels that can enhance charge transfer. The work was doen by passing an aqueous suspension of graphene oxide flakes through an ultrasonic nozzle, which uses sound waves to break the suspension into microdroplets. The scientists then sprayed the droplets downward into a 160° C mixture of organic solvent and ascorbic acid, a reducing agent. The hot mixture allows the graphene oxide to reduce to graphene sheets that cluster together. The water in the droplets evaporates and escapes toward the surface, which causes the unique arrangement of the nanosheets. 

Researchers at Northwestern University managed to explain a previously puzzling conundrum regarding graphene oxide membranes' water solubility. Since graphene sheets become negatively charged in water, they should logically repel each other (which will ruin the membrane). In reality, water seem to do the opposite and stabilize the membrane, which remained inexplicable until recently.

The researchers tested different graphene oxide membranes and discovered that the purest one did, in fact, disintegrate in water as expected. They found that an aluminium preparation filter corrodes slightly in the acidic solution that is used for membrane preparation. The positive aluminium ions released bind to the charged graphene oxide sheets and stabilize them. Other metal ions from the production process can also cause the same effect.

Researchers from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore tested different graphene platforms for the detection of caffeine in samples. The ability of analysis of food components is crucial for various food safety applications.

The researchers compared the performances of graphite oxide (GPO), graphene oxide (GO), and electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (ERGO) for caffeine detection. ERGO performed best and showed lower oxidation potential, sensitivity, linearity and reproducibility of the response. ERGO managed to test caffeine levels of soluble coffee, teas and energetic drinks were measured without the need of any sample pre-treatment.

Graphene Oxide is a single-atomic layered material, made by the powerful oxidation of graphite. Graphene Oxide's reputation is not as glamorous as that of pure graphene, but it has some interesting properties and applications. It is commonly sold in powder form, dispersed, or as a coating on substrates. Don't miss our new article that introduces Graphene Oxide.

Graphene oxide is relatively affordable and easy to find, with many companies that sell it. It does, however, get confusing since different companies offer products that vary in quality, price, form and more - making the choice of a specific product challenging. If you are interested in graphene oxide advice contact Graphene-Info and let us help you find the right GO for your exact needs!

Researchers from Kansas State University studied graphene oxide sheets as flexible paper electrodes for sodium-ion flexible batteries and found GO to have important properties that can boost the efficiency of such batteries.

The scientists explored graphene oxide sheets as flexible paper electrodes for sodium batteries. They found that sodium storage capacity of paper electrodes depends on the distance between the layers that can be adjusted by heating it in argon or ammonia gas. The researchers also showed that a flexible paper composed entirely of graphene oxide sheets can charge and discharge with sodium-ions for more than 1,000 cycles.

Graphene Batteries is a Norwegian company that was founded over two years ago in order to explore the potential of graphene in batteries and develop practical graphene-based battery products.

Its vision is to provide robust battery materials for a renewable energy ecosystem, aiming to create durable battery materials that are reliable, safe and green. 

The sample, which is the proprietary LFP/graphene powder (cathode material for Li-ion batteries). It has about 20% higher capacity than the state of the art carbon coated LFP powder, an improvement that is even more significant at higher currents. Moreove

Researchers from Stockholm University managed to develop a super-insulating and fire retardant foam for house insulation by freezing together graphene oxide, cellulose nanofibers and clay nanorods.

The foam is highly porous and boasts lower thermal conductivity than traditional insulators like polystyrene and polyurethane. It is mechanically stiff, able to sustain great loads and also does not need to be laced with organic fire retardants (it is inherently fire retardant). The researchers believe this foam could even be fitted onto older buildings without tampering with their appearance.