University of Manchester - Page 19

The University of Surrey in the UK is establishing a graphene center, within its Advanced Technology Institute (ATI). The Institute will extend its research into the uses and manufacture of graphene across such applications as high frequency electronics, flexible and transparent electronics, smart coatings and interconnect technology. The university is also interested in using graphene in solar cells, supercacitors, printed transistors and OLED displays.

The ATI developed Photo Thermal deposition technology that can deposit electronic grade graphene on wafer scale substrates. The tool performs catalyst deposition and graphene growth, allowing high volume production. The graphene center received more than £1.2 million (over $2 million) from the EPSRC, NPL and a range of industrial companies. Academic partners in the new center include the Universities of Cambridge, Oxford, Manchester, Imperial, Exeter, Trinity College Dublin and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Researchers from the University of Manchester demonstrated that when growing graphene on a hexagonal substrate (hBN, or hexagonal Boron-Nitride, in that case), small changes in the crystal structure can open a band-gap in the graphene. The researchers also demonstrated that a graphene grown on the hBN can exist in an alternative structure in which the band gap is much smaller.

The lattice structure of hBN (also called white graphene) is quite similar to graphene. When you place the graphene on top of the hBN, a moiré superlattice is created. The periodic potential associated with this superlattice causes a number of new and interesting electronic phenomena to occur in graphene, including Hofstadter's butterfly, which has been shown before.

A couple of weeks ago we reported that Versarien acquired 2-DTech (a subsidiary of the University of Manchester) for £440,000 (around $740,000). The University of Manchester now announced that the deal is complete, and that Versarien actually acquired 85% of the company (the rest is probably still owned by the University).

The University updated that Versarien will also set up an intellectual property and research collaboration with the University, initially investing some £300,000 ($500,000) in two projects.

Update: the deal is now complete, and Versarien acquired 85% of 2-DTech

Advanced engineering materials maker Versarien announced that it acquired 2-DTech (a subsidiary of the University of Manchester) for £440,000 (around $740,000) in cash and ordinary shares.

2-DTech makes and supplies 2D materials, including CVD-made graphene, graphene platelets, graphene oxide and other 2D materials. The company also offers prototyping of graphene based devices. One of 2-DTech suppliers is Graphene Industries.

Researchers from the University of California, Riverside and the University of Manchester discovered that coating copper with graphene (on both sides) strongly enhances the heat conducting properties of the copper.

The researchers say that coating the copper with one-layer graphene sheets increased heat conducting properties up to 24%. They say that this method could be used to built better hybrid copper graphene interconnects for electronic chips. The researchers explain that the improvement is the result of changes in copper’s nano- and microstructure, not from graphene's action as an additional heat conducting channel.

UK-based IP Group announced that it extended its commercialization agreement with the University of Manchester (via its technology transfer company, UMI3), to include Proof-of-Principle (PoP) funding for graphene projects. The IP Group will also commit a further 2.5 million GBP ($4.1 million) per the revised terms of the agreement.

IP Group is a developer of IP-based business. One of its portfolio companies is Applied Graphene Materials that recently raised £10 million by going public in the UK's AIM stock exchange.

Researchers from the University of Manchester are developing a new graphene-latex composite for use in condoms. The researchers hope that graphene will enable thinner, stronger and safer condoms - which makes sense as graphene is very thin and light but yet strong, transparent and flexible. The researchers have been awarded £62,000 ($100,000) by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The researchers say that the new composite material will be "tailored to enhance the natural sensation during intercourse while using a condom, which should encourage and promote condom use".

The University of Manchester is launching the second Eli and Britt Harari Graphene Enterprise Award competition. This is a £50,000 annual award to help establish new enterprises in graphene at The University of Manchester.

Current students and recent graduates can submit a business plan for the development of a new graphene enterprise. It is open to both individuals and teams (up to six persons, and at least 50% of them must be students and/or graduates).

Researchers from the University of Manchester demonstrated how membranes can be "written" on to a graphene sheet surface using a technique known as Lipid Dip-Pen Nanolithography (L-DPN). The researchers have shown that graphene is a great surface for human-cell membrane research. Graphene combined with lipids may also enable new types of bio-sensors.

The researchers wanted to find a new way to study human cell phospholipid bi-layer membranes, which protect the cells.The membranes contain proteins, ion channels and other molecules, each performing vital functions. Researchers already developed model cell membranes on surfaces outside the body for research purposes. The new research have shown that graphene is a great surface to assemble said membranes and research them.

Researchers from Manchester University have demonstrated that graphene can be used to investigate how light interacts (via plasmon resonance) with gold nanostructures of different shape, size and geometry. This could lead to more efficient solar cells and photo detectors.

The researchers explain that when light shines on a metal particle smaller than the wavelength of the light, the electrons in the particle start to move back and forth along with the light wave. This causes an increase in the electric field at the surface of the particle. When two such metal particles are close to each other, the oscillating electrons in the two particles interact with each other, forming an even higher electric field which results in a coupling between the two particles. Up until now it was difficult to experimentally observe and measure the magnitude of this coupling and electric field.