Graphene Oxide: Introduction and Market News - Page 34

Researchers at the University of Manchester developed a new coating made from graphene-oxide that can be used to enable ultra-strong non-corrosive coating paints, hermetic food packaging and even a good substrate for flexible electronics.

The researchers developed the graphene-oxide coating by taking graphene-oxide and treating it with a "simple chemical treatment". The resulting film behaves like graphite in terms of chemical and thermal stability but becomes mechanically nearly as tough as graphene.

Researchers from from Zhejiang Normal University in China developed a biocompatible bio-sensor that can simultaneous detection multiple biomarkers, such as DNA and proteins. Those sensors are made from carbon materials - mainly graphene-oxide (GO) and graphene quantum dots (GQDs).

The researchers explain hat GQDs rae promising environmentally friendly and biocompatible nanomaterials that can be used to design new fluorescence detection platforms in vitro and in vivo. The researchers use the specifically designed fluorescence on-off-on process that takes advantage of the intense and dual-color fluorescence of the GQDs, in addition to the efficient quenching effect of GO. The high emission efficiency of GQDs guarantees the high sensitivity of the constructed biosensors, while the good biocompatibility is promising for use of biosensors in vivo.

Researchers from India's VIT University developed new a basic nanocomposite material for naval/marine application devices. This material is anti-corrosive and is a high-performance functional device, which the researchers say suits the requirements for applications for marine and naval conditions (humidity, temperature, etc).

The material is a graphene-oxide reinforced/conjugated polymer nanocomposite. A PEDO-block-PEG polymer was used as a host medium, with graphene-oxide as a modifier and PVDF as crosslinker. The researchers say this is a novel composite that exhibits high performance in structure, thermal, morphology and electrical properties.

A sixteen year-old boy from Lancaster, England developed a composite material that he created from a pencil and sunscreen lotion, that can break down pollutants when exposed to UV light. He suggests using it as a "self-cleaning" coating.

The boy (Samuel Burrow) did some experiments and entered into Google's Science Fair 2014 competition and was eventually chosen as one of the 18 finalists. The grand prize in this competition is a $50,000 scholarship, a trip to the Galapagos islands and more

Researchers from Rice University developed a new chemical process that is used to create a tough, ultra-light foam in any size and shape. The new foam (called GO-0.5BN) is made from two 2D materials: graphene oxide and hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) platelets.

This foam can be used as structural component in applications such as electrodes for supercapacitors and batteries and gas absorption material.

Researchers from Monash University discovered that graphene oxide flakes can spontaneously change their structure - to become liquid crystal droplets, in the presence of an external magnetic field. This could be very useful for applications such as drug delivery and disease detection.

It's common for current drug delivery systems to use magnetic particles - useful for drug release. But most magnetic particles are toxic in some conditions. Now the researchers hope that the new graphene discovery means it can be a better system than what's available today.

SiNode Systems signed a joint-development agreement with Merck's AZ Electronic Materials with an aim to commercialize graphene-based materials for lithium-ion batteries. The two companies will develop electrode materials that deliver high energy density and improved rate capabilities - to enable Li-Ion batteries that last longer and charge faster.

SiNode, established in 2013 to commercialize a novel anode Li-ion battery technology developed at Northwestern University, developed a composite material of silicon nano-particles and graphene in a layered structure. The company says that their material will enable 10 times higher battery capacity and a tenfold decrease in charging time compared with current technology. The company is now expanding its R&D and pilot manufacturing facility in Chicago.

Researchers from Canada's University of Saskatchewan are investigating how to use Graphene Oxide in solar-cell electrodes. According to their experiments, GO is indeed less conductive than pure graphene, but it is more transparent and it is a better charge collector.

The researchers modeled graphene oxide, for the first time with real complexity, and showed that previous models were incorrect. Their resreach also showed how heated water touching the GO film can burn it and produce carbon dioxide - which could be risky in solar cells.

Abalonyx announced that it entered into a partnership with Kongsberg Innovasjon for both engineering support and an investment that will enable Abalonyx to start mass producing graphene oxide materials. Kongsberg Innovasjon will purchase a 21.5% stake in Abalonyx.

Since 2012, Abalonyx had a pilot production line, used to produce GO samples and verify the scalability and safety of its process. The two companies are now developing a new facility (in south east Norway) that will start production in Q3 2014 with a capacity of 8 tons/year.

Researchers from India verified that when you barbecue meat, it produces all sorts of carbon nanoparticles, including graphene oxide. This led them to the conclusion that GO is probably safe to eat - as humans have been eating barbecued meat for thousands of years.

When meat is heated, the proteins undergo pyrolysis, which produces graphene oxide sheets and carbon nanoparticles via the condensation of five- and six-membered rings. Some of these particles are doped with nitrogen from the atmosphere, and GO is formed when plant matter is charred. GO is also present in several medicines such as gripe water and active coal powders.