Graphene-Info newsletter

Superconductivity in twisted bilayer graphene can exist away from the magic angle

Researchers at Caltech show that superconductivity in twisted bilayer graphene can exist away from the magic angle when coupled to a two-dimensional semiconductor.

In 2018, researchers made the surprising discovery that when you layer two sheets of single-atom-thick graphene atop one another and rotate them by precisely 1.05 degrees with respect to one another, the resulting bilayer material takes on new properties: when the density of electrons in the material is increased through the application of a voltage on a nearby electrode, it becomes a superconductor—electrons can flow freely through the material, without resistance. However, with a slight change in electron density, the bilayer becomes an insulator and prevents the flow of electrons.

Now, a team at Caltech has discovered that when twisted bilayer graphene is placed in contact with a single-atom-thick material that contains the heavy element tungsten, it can exhibit superconductivity at angles relatively far from the magic angle, and it does not change into an insulator at any electron density, breaking the pattern.

Global development of graphene-enhanced masks carries on

Directa Plus announced that its G+ graphene-enhanced facemasks, Co-mask, are now available for retail sale at a new, dedicated website.

In addition, a consortium of Spanish scientists and companies is working on the development of new efficient prophylactic facemasks to combat the Coronavirus responsible for COVID-19. These masks will be made of non-woven textiles specially modified with graphene and derivative materials.

NanoGraf receives $1.65 Million from U.S. Department of Defense to Improve the batteries that power soldiers’ equipment

NanoGraf, an advanced battery material company, announced a new partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense to develop a longer-lasting lithium-ion battery, designed to provide U.S. military personnel with better portable power for the equipment they rely on to operate safely and effectively. Nanograf's graphene-wrapped silicon anode cells are hoped to significantly improve equipment runtime in the field.

The Department of Defense will provide NanoGraf with $1.65 million to develop silicon anode-based lithium-ion technology in a format compatible with all portable batteries, with a goal of enabling a 50-100 percent increase in runtime when compared to traditional graphite anode lithium-ion cells.

ZEN Graphene Solutions partners with Evercloak and NGen for Graphene in Cleantech manufacturing project

ZEN Graphene Solutions announced that Evercloak and ZEN have been awarded CAD$125,000 (around USD$92,000) each as part of a Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen) Project.

The project entitled “Advancing Large-Scale Graphene and Thin-Film Membrane Manufacturing” will support the scale up of graphene oxide (GO) production by ZEN to supply GO to Evercloak for their scale up and optimizing activities. NGen supports collaborative technology projects that enable the development of world-leading advanced manufacturing capabilities in Canada.

Evercloak’s patent-pending HydroAM printer is capable of depositing both 1D and 2D nanomaterials and transferring these ultra-thin films onto flexible substrates with a controlled density for various applications ranging from transparent conductors for flexible electronics to more efficient membranes for industrial separations. Through this grant, and in collaboration with Evercloak, ZEN will optimize and scale-up the electrochemical exfoliation (ECE) process that was developed by Prof. Aicheng Chen and his team at the University of Guelph to produce graphene oxide from its unique precursor Albany Pure Graphite. The ECE process was designed to be scalable, low cost, low energy, and environmentally friendly to produce high quality, few-layer graphene oxide at ZEN’s Guelph facility.

Graphene-Info updates all its graphene market report

New versions of all our graphene market reports, updated to July 2020, are now available. Graphene-Info provides comprehensive market reports focused on specific areas of graphene research and industry.

Among these reports are: The Graphene Batteries Market Report, The Graphene Supercapacitors Market Report, The Graphene Oxide Market Report, The Graphene for the Display and Lighting Industries Report and The Graphene Investment Guide.

Thomas Swan has signed an exclusive agency agreement with Concrene for work on graphene-enhanced concrete project.

Researchers at University College London, Queen Mary University of London and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin have suggested a design for a hydrogen fuel cell, with graphene as a key component.

First Graphene has announced a collaboration with the University of Warwick on a project to unlock the potential of graphene in thermoplastic systems.

Researchers at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering have created a graphene-based memory device which promises to increase data upload speed, extend smartphone battery life, and reduce data corruption.

Rice University scientists led by Prof. James Tour have turned adhesive tape into a silicon oxide film (mixed with laser-induced graphene) which replaces troublesome anodes in lithium metal batteries.

NanoXplore has announced the completion of the commissioning of its state-of-the-art 4,000 metric tons/year commercial graphene capacity facility in Montreal, Province of Quebec.