University of Manchester - Page 12

Scientists at The University of Manchester in the UK and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany have designed a method to chemically modify small regions of graphene with high precision, leading to extreme miniaturization of chemical and biological sensors which can be used in blood tests, minimizing the amount of blood a patient is required to give.

The team has shown that it is possible to combine graphene with chemical and biological molecules and form patterns. Using technology that resembles writing with a fountain pen, the scientists were able to deliver chemical droplets to the surface of graphene in very small volumes. In order to achieve extremely fine chemical patterns, the researchers used droplets of chemicals less than 100 attolitres (10-16 L) in volume - that’s 1/10,000,000,000,000,000th of a liter!

Graphenea recently announced its participation in a new project funded by EPSRC (the UK's main agency for funding research in engineering and the physical sciences). The project 2D Materials for Next Generation Healthcare Technologies (2D-Health) started on October 1 st and will utilize £5.2 million of funding over the next 5 years.

The project will aim to explore how 2D materials can assist in tackling major health challenges, such as cancer, diabetes and dementia. 2D-Health is one of four major research grants awarded as part of the EPSRC Healthcare Technologies scheme, totaling £17.7 million, that will develop new technologies to address the health issues of an aging UK population.

Versarien has announced the successful completion of a grant funded project focused on graphene enhanced carbon fibre composites with the National Graphene Institute (NGI) at The University of Manchester.

Extensive trials of the graphene produced by Versarien’s subsidiary, 2-DTech, by an NGI team, in carbon fibre composite products, has demonstrated the benefit of adding graphene, particularly with regard to significantly enhancing the strength of the structure.

Researchers from Seoul National University and the University of Manchester have found that a graphene coating on biological samples helps dissipate the charge build-up that tends to occur on the surface of these samples during non-destructive electron microscopy imaging. Such build-ups are often damaging and prevent high-resolution images from being obtained.

Currently used gold or platinum coatings mean that researchers cannot obtain high-resolution images of the samples or perform further quantitative and qualitative chemical analyses with techniques such as energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Now, the research team discovered that a layer of graphene on biological samples can dissipate the charge accumulation on the non-conducting surfaces of biological samples thanks to the high electrical conductivity of graphene. The researchers explain that as soon as excessive charges appear on the sample surfaces, the graphene membrane provides conducting channels for these charges to disappear quickly and so allows to obtain high-resolution EM images. Furthermore, the high thermal conductivity of graphene allows it to dissipate excess heat produced by the high-energy electrons in the microscope, thus preventing thermal damage or deformation of biological specimens as well.

A collaborative project involving scientists from TU Wien (Vienna, Austria), RWTH Aachen (Germany) and the University of Manchester (UK) has created an artificial atom in graphene that opens up possibilities for quantum computing, as their properties can be directly tuned.

Artificial atoms can be viewed as prisons for electrons; Under such confining conditions, electrons often exhibit properties different from their usual characteristics. But like their counterparts in regular atoms, electrons in these structures (also called quantum dots) can also be made to occupy discrete quantum states. "In most materials, electrons may occupy two different quantum states at a given energy. The high symmetry of the graphene lattice allows for four different quantum states. This opens up new pathways for quantum information processing and storage" explains a researchers from TU Wien. However, creating well-controlled artificial atoms in graphene turned out to be extremely challenging.

Researchers at The University of Manchester have shown that small "balloons" made using graphene can endure huge pressures. This could be used to create miniature pressure machines that can withstand massive pressures, and pose a major step towards quickly identifying the way molecules respond under extreme pressure.

The graphene balloons normally form when depositing graphene on flat substrates and are typically thought of as a useless. The researchers at Manchester observed the nano-bubbles closely and discovered that the dimensions and shape of the nano-bubbles offer direct data regarding the elastic strength of graphene as well as its interaction with the underlying substrate. They were able to measure the pressure applied by graphene on a material caught within the balloons, or vice versa.

A trade deal between China and Manchester will aim at graphene-based transportation. Scientists at Manchester University will team up with the Beijing Institute of Aeronautical Materials in a five-year research project that will aim to build graphene-based aircraft and trains.

The Chinese funding, thought to be worth up to £3 million, will be put into the project that will include joint research as well as the exchange of scientists between Beijing and the university’s National Graphene Institute.

Scientists at Manchester University are working towards developing a new graphene-coated aeroplane. They believe it will allow planes to fly higher, use less fuel and even protect them from lighting strikes. To test these ideas, the scientists have been working with aviation experts at Preston’s University of Central Lancashire and have create a drone-sized prototype.

The 3m wide unmanned aircraft, which is covered in graphene, will be shown off for the first time at Farnborough Air Show this weekend. Nicknamed Prospero, the aircraft will show off the remarkable properties of graphene - and potentially pave the way for it becoming commonly used in commercial aircraft.

Researchers at Manchester University have shown that a graphene hydraulic ‘nano-press’ is capable of creating new two-dimensional materials by exerting extreme pressure on compounds sealed between layers of graphene. This new use of graphene could prove to be a novel way of creating versatile 2D materials which have unique properties and benefits for a wide range of applications.

The graphene nano-press is made possible due to graphene's unique properties. As is stronger than diamond, the extreme amount of pressure can be exerted on trapped molecules without breaking the graphene layers. The two stacked layers also create a self-sealing envelope around the trapped molecules to contain them. The researchers say that the molecules that are trapped between two layers of graphene experience pressures equivalent of 10,000 times the air pressure in a bicycle tyre; This acts as a nano scale pressure cooker which works at room temperature.

The University of Manchester recently launched a new company, wholly owned by the University, to develop and commercialize products based on its graphene technology. The company's name is Graphene Enabled Systems and it is headquartered in the University’s Innovation Centre (UMIC) on Grafton Street in Manchester.

The company will aim to create a number of spin-out businesses based on the University’s graphene patent portfolio. It is expected that many of these future spin-out businesses will be based in and around Manchester, creating new jobs in the region and benefiting the local economy. Using the University’s patents and working closely with its graphene research scientists, Graphene Enabled will be seeking new markets for graphene-based products. Once these markets have been identified, Graphene Enabled will create high-quality product prototypes which will showcase the technology to potential industrial partners and customers.