Graphene-Info newsletter

Oakley and Bioracer launch cycling jersey enhanced with Directa Plus graphene

Directa Plus announced this month that Oakley, in collaboration with Bioracer, a designer and manufacturer of customized clothing for cycling, has launched the G+ Graphene Aero Jersey containing Directa’s graphene-based products. Unveiled at the July 2018 EUROBIKE trade show in Friedrichshafen, Germany, the new jersey is designed to leverage the unique properties of Graphene Plus (G+) to dissipate heat from the rider’s body.

Directa Plus' printed G+ planar thermal circuit distributes the heat generated by the body and dissipates it when needed to improve the comfort of the wearer and enable riders to use less energy to regulate their body temperature. Fabrics treated with G+ are also electrostatic and bacteriostatic. These properties contribute to moisture management and have an anti-odor effect, and, if placed on the outside of the garment, G+ reduces the friction with air and water to facilitate top sporting performance.

NIST team brings nanofluidics computing closer to reality

Computers based on fluids instead of silicon is not a new concept, and now researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have shown how computational logic operations could be performed in a liquid medium by simulating the trapping of ions (charged atoms) in graphene floating in saline solution. The scheme might also be used in applications such as water filtration, energy storage or sensor technology.

The NIST molecular dynamics simulations focused on a graphene sheet 5.5 by 6.4 nanometers (nm) in size and with one or more small holes lined with oxygen atoms. These pores resemble crown ethers—electrically neutral circular molecules known to trap metal ions. In the NIST simulations, the graphene was suspended in water containing potassium chloride, a salt that splits into potassium and sodium ions. The crown ether pores were designed to trap potassium ions, which have a positive charge. Simulations show that trapping a single potassium ion in each pore prevents any penetration of additional loose ions through the graphene, and that trapping and penetration activity can be tuned by applying different voltage levels across the membrane, creating logic operations with 0s and 1s.

To make actual devices, crown ether pores would need to be fabricated reliably in physical samples of graphene or other materials that are just a few atoms thick and conduct electricity. Other materials may offer attractive structures and functions. For example, transition metal dichalcogenides (a type of semiconductor) might be used because they are amenable to a range of pore structures and abilities to repel water.

New graphene-enhanced lubricants initiative launched in China

A new initiative called "The Technical Standards Development and Application Demonstration Base of Graphene-Modified Lubricants" was launched at LiuGong’s Global R&D Center in Liuzhou, China. Co-built by the China Innovation Alliance of the Graphene Industry and Guangxi Liugong Machinery (a leading China-based construction equipment manufacturer), it aims to become a major base in China that concentrates on the transformation of graphene’s scientific research into real world applications.

The partnership also includes building a joint laboratory and undertaking independent test tasks from other companies in the future. The initiative will push the R&D and innovation of graphene-modified lubricant products at LiuGong and will also give the firm a chance to participate in drafting industry standards directly.

LiuGong intends to complete three kinds of graphene-modified lubricants in two years and achieve the application in LiuGong’s CE products in five years. The intentions also include the launch of correlative products and parts, and subsequently to influence the relative industries such as automobile and steel.

Researchers develop graphene-enhanced biophotovoltaic technology

Researchers at UC Riverside are working to integrate biological components with photovoltaic cells to deliver fully sustainable solar energy. The team's biophotovoltaic device is built from renewable carbon by integrating graphene hybrids and the phototropic protein bacteriorhodopsin.

ZNShine Solar to supply graphene-enhanced PV modules to India's BHEL

ZNShine Solar is a maker of PV modules, PV power station and EPC, founded in 1988 in China. In May 2018, ZNShine Solar launched the G12 evolution era series - a 12-busbar graphene module, 5-busbar graphene module and double-glass graphene module. According to reports, the application of ZS's graphene film layer increases light transmission performance of the glass itself. In addition, Znshine Solar's modules are self-cleaning.

Now, reports suggest that ZNShine Solar has won the bid to provide 37.5MW of PV modules to Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), India's largest power generation equipment manufacturer. The deal makes ZNShine Solar the first overseas module supplier to win a contract with BHEL. According to the contract,10% of the shipment will be graphene-coated solar panel and all deliveries will be made by October.

Graphene-Info's Market Reports updated to July 2018

This month we have published new versions of all our graphene market reports. Graphene-Info provides comprehensive niche graphene market reports, and our reports cover everything you need to know about these niche markets. The reports are now updated to July 2018.

Our market reports come with one year of free upgrades. If you bought your report within the year, contact us to get your new edition. Older customers are entitled for an upgrade discount, please contact us (or simply reply to this mail) for more information.

Green Science Alliance, part of the Fuji Pigment corporation, has created graphene quantum dot inkjet ink. The prepared graphene quantum dot inkjet ink can be printed on various types of substrates including regular paper and films.

Washington State University researchers have used graphene in their new method that makes use of fly ash for the production of concrete.

A team of researchers from the University of Pittsburgh developed a graphene-based "artificial synapse" that does not process information like a digital computer but rather mimics the analog way the human brain completes tasks.

A China-based company named Shenzhen Danbond Technology announced that it had begun mass production trials of a self-developed conductive film that can be used in electric vehicle batteries, to dissipate heat in electronic devices and in solar power generation and flexible screens.

Scientists in Spain and Italy have developed a new approach for making few-layer graphene using a mechanochemical technique that exfoliates graphite with carbohydrates.

A team of researchers from Denmark, Italy and Portugal have shown that the ferroelectric ordering of polar molecules attached to the edge of graphene can be toggle-switched by an electrostatic gate and can be used for memory devices and sensors.

Canada-based NanoXplore recently announced a positive feasibility study for its graphene production plant.

Australian advanced materials technology company, Talga Resources, announced an oversubscribed institutional placement that raised proceeds of approximately $8.5 million AUD (around $6.3 million USD).

A new study out of Boise State University in the U.S may one day lead to new graphene-based treatments for osteoarthritis, potentially preventing the need for joint replacement.