The Graphene-Info newsletter (September 21, 2021)

A team of researchers at UNSW has observed a unique phenomenon in graphene oxide (GO). The oxygen atoms in GO are normally attached in a rather chaotic way. At elevated temperatures, however, the oxygen atoms form more organized structures – by themselves. This process of ‘self-organization’ was found to drastically improve various properties of GO – for example, its electrical conductivity.

For years, researchers have been aware that this phenomenon existed, but they could only demonstrate it using computational simulations. The new research, led by Dr. Rakesh Joshi at UNSW, successfully observed it for the first time in real life, using cutting-edge electron microscopy. While common microscopes use light to create a magnified image, electron microscopes use electrons. With this type of microscope, it is possible to observe single atoms, by magnifying what you’re looking at by a factor of 1,000,000.

Mason Graphite has announced that graphene resulting from the patented process owned by Black Swan Graphene and produced by Black Swan’s strategic shareholder Thomas Swan was recently used in the concrete mix poured during the construction of a large residential development in the United Kingdom.

Nationwide Engineering Group, a construction-focused service provider with dedicated integrated companies, has used the graphene-enhanced concrete developed by Concretene, a wholly-owned subsidiary, in a residential development in Salisbury, 150 km west of London, England.

Haydale announced that it has raised £5.1 million (almost $7 million USD) in an oversubscribed share offer.

The company says that the new funds will be used to fund general working capital needs of the business, support the scaling up of manufacturing capacity and drive forward product rollout into the US market.