Updates from Prof. James Tour's graphene lab at Rice University...

Updates from Prof. James Tour's graphene lab at Rice University

Prof. James Tour's research lab in Rice University is one of the leading graphene research groups in the world, with several key technologies first discovered and developed there. Professor Tour is involved with several application areas - from de-icing coating to energy storage and quantum dots production. Prof. Tour was kind enough to share his time and update us on the latest research and commercialization efforts at his lab.

The Tour group is now commercializing two of its key technologies. First up is the laser-inscribed graphene (or LiG), which was reported first in 2014. This is a process in which graphene is formed on a flexible polyimide film using a room-temperature laser-based process. It is possible to pattern this graphene to create devices and as it is formed on a flexible film this easily enables flexible electronics applications.

One of the interesting application areas (developed in collaboration with the Ben Gurion University in Israel) is water filtration - separating oil and water. The idea is that two 20-micron layers of graphene coatings are fabricated on the polyimide - one on each side. One side is made hydrophobic and one hydrophilic. Both the graphene and the polyimide are made porous which results in the separation of oil and water. This is an efficient method to perform the separation and the graphene-enhanced membrane is relatively easy to manufacture.
Other applications for LiG include supercapacitors (see this recent micro-supercapacitor research) and many others that can take advantage of these relatively easy-to produce flexible graphene films.

Tour also developed a 3D CNT / Graphene hybrid material that is very promising for energy applications. The first application targeted for this material is supercapacitors - and Prof. Tour says that these materials can lead to the world's fastest charging supercapacitors, as charging speed can reach 500 volt/sec. The same material can also be used for battery anodes to enhance capacity and for fuel cells.
There are many other exciting areas being researched at Tour's lab. Quantum Dots production from coal has been licensed to Israel-based Dotz-Nano who's now entering production, and Tour is researching the possibility of using these bio-compatible GQDs as anti-oxident materials for medical applications. The lab is also looking into spinal-cord repair using GNRs (we recently reported on this research activity here).
http://www.graphene-info.com/updates-prof-james-tours-graphene-lab-rice-university

Rice University creates flexible and efficient solid-state microsupercapacitors

Rice University researchers have configured their previous invention of Laser Induced Graphene (LIG) into flexible, solid-state microsupercapacitors that rival current leading ones for energy storage and delivery.

The LIG microsupercapacitors reportedly charge 50 times faster than batteries, discharge more slowly than traditional capacitors and match commercial supercapacitors for both the amount of energy stored and power delivered. The devices are made by burning electrode patterns with a commercial laser into plastic sheets in room-temperature air, eliminating the complex fabrication conditions that have limited the widespread application of microsupercapacitors.
The microsupercapacitors' capacitance of 934 microfarads per square centimeter and energy density of 3.2 milliwatts per cubic centimeter rival commercial lithium thin-film batteries, with a power density two orders of magnitude higher than batteries, according to the researchers. The devices displayed long life and mechanical stability when repeatedly bent 10,000 times. Their energy density is owed to the nature of laser-induced graphene (LIG). The scientists discovered last year that heating a commercial polyimide plastic sheet with a laser burned everything but the carbon from the top layer, leaving a form of graphene. Somewhat unexpectedly, rather than a flat sheet graphene, the laser left a spongy array of graphene flakes attached to the polyimide, with high surface area.
The researchers treated the LIG patterns with manganese dioxide, ferric oxyhydroxide or polyaniline through electrodeposition and turned the resulting composites into positive and negative electrodes. The composites could then be formed into solid-state microsupercapacitors with no need for current collectors, binders or separators.
The scientists are excited about this invention, despite the face that commercial abilities have not quite been achieved, and are positive the day is coming when supercapacitors replace batteries entirely, as energy storage systems will charge in minutes rather than hours.

http://www.graphene-info.com/rice-u...nd-efficient-solid-state-microsupercapacitors

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