Graphene and 2D materials research and development
Products
The research team at IICG works on a wide variety of projects.
Supercapacitors are energy storage devices that combine the energy storage properties of batteries with the power discharge characteristics of capacitors. Supercapacitors can be used in a wide range of energy capture and storage applications and are used either by themselves as the primary power source or in combination with batteries or fuel cells. Some advantages of supercapacitors over more traditional energy storage devices include high power capability, long life, wide thermal operating range, low weight, flexible packaging, and low maintenance.
Graphene supercapacitors have the advantage of high power density, energy density and specific capacitance compared to conventional activated carbon-based supercapacitors.
Graphene Supercapacitor
Graphene conducting inks have a high potential to unlock a new frontier in electronics fabrication, enabling conductive patterns to be effortlessly printed onto various surfaces using versatile printing techniques. C-MET has developed the Graphene conducting ink bearing the sheet resistance of 50 Ohms/Sq for inkjet printable inks (% coating sequences). The conductivity values attained for spray-coatable inks are ideal for developing flexible circuits and patterns for electronic applications.
Graphene conductive inks have the potential to revolutionize the printed conductor field by replacing metallic inks, conductive polymer inks, and other carbon material inks while at the same time reducing biological hazards and production costs.
Graphene Conducting Inks
Among structural ceramics, Al2O3 is one of the most used materials in the industry due to its superior hardness, chemical inertness, and electrical/thermal insulation properties. However, the crucially structural applications are limited by its low fracture toughness. The most promising approaches to overcome this deficiency are second-phase additions, such as nanoscale filters with high tensile strength and stiffness, good flexibility, and low density in ceramic matrix. Since Graphene has a high flexural strength and tribological characteristics, reinforcing Graphene in the Alumina matrix could enhance the mechanical as well as tribological properties.
Graphene-Reinforced Alumina ceramics
The present soil moisture sensor is a printed sensor device capable of precisely measuring soil moisture in agricultural fields. The new sensors posses several benefits over the curent sensors due to their lighweight, ruggedness, simple design, use of non-toxic materials, and low production cost. This resistive soil moisture sensor is unique in its ability to directly monitor soil moisture without the need for any intricate apparatus, distinguishing it from all other sensors now available. The sensors were manufactured with a low vacuum, low temperature printing technique known as micro girder printing.
Soil Moisture Sensor
An affordable and straightforward fabrication technique has been developed to create a water leak detector based on graphene and polymer electrolytes hybrid structure. This method utilizes a low-cost, industrial-compatible, highly conductive graphene ink arranged as a conductive electrode in an interdigitated pattern. The polymer electrolyte serves as the active component, detecting water droplets. In this process, water interacts with the electrolyte, prompting an immediate reaction between the polymer and water upon contact, initiating conductivity in the polymer's active material. Once the water evaporates, the sensor discontinues its detection function. These detectors are currently being deployed in large electrical panels, and our current focus is on expanding production to meet high-volume demands. These detectors can range from small sizes to suit water leak detection at tap connections and larger sizes to suit industrial electrical panels.