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Turkey's Grafen reports first results from their graphene liquid-phased exfoliation research (conducted with help from Ukraine's National Academy of Sciences - BPCI). The new method uses direct liquid-phase exfoliation of graphite to create graphene sheets and it creates unique product crystallinity and lower environmental footprint.

Grafen reports that initial atomic force microscopy (AFM) data shows multilayered graphene sheets, 10-15 nm in thickness and about 0.5 um in diameter proving great potential of the process. Hopefully we'll hear more from Grafen about this new process and more results soon.

Researchers from Sweden demonstrated a simple and mature technology for inkjet printing of high quality few-layer graphene.

The researchers exfoliate graphene from graphite flakes in dimethylformamide (DMF), and then DMF is exchanged by terpineol through distillation (there is a large difference between DMF's and terpineol's boiling points). Terpineol is of much lower volume than DMF and so the graphene is significantly concentrated. Terpineol is also non-toxic and features high-viscosity.

The GS International & RS Group, involved with graphite mining in Sri Lanka, established a new UK-based company called Futures Technologies , to develop and produce materials based on graphite - mostly graphene materials.

GS currently sells high carbon-purity graphite online from their 21-acre mining site in Sri Lanka. Future Technologies will use this graphite and will develop a scalable graphene production process. The companies are already offering graphene oxide, and have developed conductive polymers and graphene based inks that are being tested now.

American Graphite Technologies (AGT) announced that Cheap Tubes received independent test results for its hybrid bucky/graphene paper formulations and advanced coating technology, and these results confirmed that the materials are conductive, stable and processable on an industrial scale.

Cheap Tubes produced several pre-production quality, highly conductive, flexible and mechanically stable self-supporting membrane samples (made form CNTs and GNPs), refined from mined graphite and other nano components. Cheap Tubes' hybrid paper has a surface area of 116m²/g at 100um thickness, and the company says that it could potentially produce it in sizes up to 36" wide, at speeds up to 50-100 feet of membrane per minute.

American Graphite Technologies (AGT) announced several new updates regarding their financial status and graphene projects. First of all, the company completed a financing round, totaling $145,000 (out of which $95,000 were already announced last week). AGT is currently negotiating another round of equity financing.

Back in April 2013, AGT announced it is planning to collaborate with Ukraine's Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology ("KIPT") on graphene-based working materials for 3D printing. AGT now informs us that they expect to start the project shortly as they hope to finalize  regulatory approvals soon.

The UK Technology Strategy Board launched a new collaborative R&D project called NanoSynth with a budget of almost a million GBP ($1.5 million USD) - to develop a synthesis platform for the industry-scale production of graphene-filled epoxy resins for advanced composite applications.

According to the NetComposites, the project coordinator, those graphene epoxy resins will improve current resins and will feature better strength, stiffness, toughness, electrical conductivity and thermal performance. The new resins may prove to have a significant impact on a wide range of markets, including the aerospace and automotive ones. The worldwide yearly market of epoxy resins is estimated at over $15 billion.

American Graphite Technologies (AGT), a mineral exploration company that is also involved with graphene technologies (partnering with Cheap Tubes on graphene paper) is seeking to raise more money to fund its current projects. 

AGT entered into an agency agreement with Carter Terry & Company - to act as a financial advisor investment bank and help them with raising the required capital. AGT is trading in the NASDAQ (OTCBB: AGIN). AGT just announced it raised $95,000 from two investors that were not introduced by CT&C.

National Graphite Corporation (NGC) announced that they produced graphite samples from their Chedic/Voltaire Property in Nevada. The grade 7.0% graphite went through ultra-sonic treatment which yielded a powder with "graphene characteristics".

The field sample material was sieved and put into a clean Teflon beaker of de-ionized water. The slurry was sonicated with a Sonics brand Ultrasonic Processor (Model VCF-1500) and then dried. The dried, greasy powder was tested in a laboratory in Nevada and NGC says they are pleased with the results which shows they can convert graphite into a graphene product in a simple and cost-effective process.

National Graphite Corporation (NGC) entered into an agreement with American Graphene to jointly explore graphene business opportunities. NGC will supply high grade graphite samples from its Chedic Graphite mine in Nevada to American Graphene (based in Phoenix Arizona).

American Graphene converted the graphite to graphene using a sonication process. We don't have more details, but sonication means applying sound (usually ultrasound) to agitate particles - which perhaps can be used to reduce graphite to graphene.

Researchers from Kansas State University developed improved electron-tunneling based humidity, pressure or temperature sensing devices using graphene quantum dots. Those devices are more responsive in vacuum compared to most sensors. They will be able to detect trace amounts of water on Mars, for example.

To create the Quantum Dots, the researchers used nanoscale graphite cuttings to produce graphene nanoribbons. Chemically cleaving those ribbons into 100 nanometer sized pieces created the quantum dots.