2013 12-05-sirris-materials-workshop-graphene-ramaekers

Graphene - a new material opening new opportunities - or just the next hype? Dr. Peter Ramaekers

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Will graphene ever get beyond the ‘sticky tape‘??

Nobel Prize in 2010 (Graphene Mechanical Exfoliation from graphite) …. and now?

Research on graphene beyond the ‘sticky tape‘??

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We are out of tape!

We are out of tape – no more graphene research!

Content

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Carbon nanostructures – what is graphene? Graphene properties Short-term industrial applications Reality checks Market view – product/market combinations Conclusions What will be the graphene future? Follow-up @ Sirris

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Graphene: the 2D graphite, vs. diamond


Carbon nanostructures:

Graphene 2D sheets: hexagonal carbon – sp2 bonding

Graphite 3D: ‘chicken wire’ basic units

Diamond 3D: sp3 bonding

Graphene properties: ‘ideal’

Graphene: 2D graphite - but much more performing:

Graphene is the thinnest known material in the universe and the strongest ever measured (up to the theoretical limit);

Graphene is bendable, and can elastically stretch up to 20% of its length; Graphene is a very efficient electrical conductor and can sustain current densities

six orders of magnitude higher than copper at room temperature; Graphene charge carriers have the highest intrinsic mobility (100 times more

than Si); Graphene has the best thermal conductivity of any material (>2000 W/mK),

outperforming diamond; Graphene is the most impermeable material ever discovered (even for He atoms); Graphene has a very large surface area (2700 m2 per gram); Transparency.


More carbon nanostructures


Fullerene 0D

From 2D graphene sheets with hexagonal carbon to:

Carbon Nanotubes 1D

In fact, graphene is not exact 2D, but curved


What will be the short-term industrial applications?

7500 patents filed, and a ton of potential floating around…, but:

Will the material go beyond (‘jumping on the hype’) fancy applications such as:


Less than 1 mg Graphene per racket ….

http://www.google.nl/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=Mvr_tGkuplsDOM&tbnid=URobOouBD4TPJM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Furbantennis.wordpress.com%2F2013%2F02%2F03%2Fracquet-to-the-future%2F&ei=QcKVUvusHaniywOT6YHoCw&bvm=bv.57155469,d.bGQ&psig=AFQjCNG8o1LtFbnf1JJSUOI2x0GzqYY3XQ&ust=1385632617364223

Real short-term applications??

Graphene Could Be the Key to Strong Condoms (press release Nov. 21, 2013: http://guardianlv.com/2013/11/graphene- could- be- the- key- to- strong-

condoms/)

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have called for the invention of a better condom. The prize is a $100,000 grant.


Graphene condom test: blend of latex with graphene (Source: Dr Aravind Vijayaraghavan, National Graphene Institute at Manchester University)

http://guardianlv.com/2013/11/graphene-could-be-the-key-to-strong-condoms/

http://guardianlv.com/2013/11/graphene-could-be-the-key-to-strong-condoms/

Using the ‘bendability’ of graphene


Shortly: LCD screens with graphene, bendable watches and smartphones, sensors in textile (smart clothing), ....

Replacement of carbon black in high-strength rubbers and tyres


Commercially available in 2014 (Source: IDTechEx Conference, Santa Clara USA 2013)

Let’s do some reality checks …

The real question is:

Will graphene follow Carbon Nano Tube R&D:

more than 10 years of development needed before high-volume industrial applications are being introduced? And no real ‘killer’ applications ….


Reality check no. 1: Graphene and the industry

Industry interest is fragmented: wide range of interesting properties/combinations of

properties Widely differing options for synthesis and manufacturing

(ranging from printing over CVD to fillers in polymers and composites) –

GRAPHENE is ‘A PRODUCT BY PROCESS’


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Reality check no. 1: Graphene and the industry – options for synthesis

COST

QUALITY

SCALABILITY

Oxidation/Reduction

CVD

Epitaxial on SiC

Mechanical Exfoliation

(Source: IDTEchEx 2013)

Reality check no. 1: Graphene and the industry – options for synthesis


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Comparison of synthesis methods:

Method: Mechanical Exfoliation

Reduction of graphene oxide

Epitaxial growth on SiC

CVD growth on Ni, Cu, Fe, Co

Size 10-100 μm

> 15 cm > 10 cm > 15 cm

Mobility best bad high high Transfer yes yes no yes Scalability no yes not yet yes Applications no yes little most

(Source: Sukang Bae et al., Phys. Scr. 2012, 014024)

Reality check no. 1: Graphene and the industry – you have to choose where to invest in R&D


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The market divides along production and graphene type, invest only after ample consideration!:

High-frequency electronics

Optical & Laser applications

ITO replacement

CVD

Scotch Tape

Plasma

Oxidation Reduction

Liquid Phase Exfoliation

RFID and Packaging

Batteries & supercapacitors

Composites

Reality check no. 2: ideal graphene does not exist !

Oxygen content, layer numbers, microstructural defects, sheet/flake size, purity, etc., all impact graphene quality and characteristics

Different material properties depending on where you look and measure If you buy black ‘graphene’ powder how do you know it is graphene (and

which variation)?


Reality check no. 3: Even if you have chosen your technology/market combination it is difficult to achieve reproducibility of properties Oxygen content, layer numbers,

microstructural defects, orientation, sheet/flake size, purity, etc.

all impact graphene quality and characteristics


Market view

Conductive inks

o Low hanging fruit, technologically o Low cost, esp. replacing (expensive) nano-Ag inks o Printing using a variety of (proven) techniques

o Product replacement: many other cost competitive techniques tough ‘business math’: no real market opportunity? limited conductivity puts it on par with

‘enhanced’ carbon black paste/ink


Market view - ITO replacement


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Poor performance up till now (durability), ITO works better, limited area, late entrant, flexible applications not yet defined?

Market view – graphene reinforcement in polymers and polymer composites


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Graphene-based fillers property enhancement of thermoplastics, focusing on optimizing mechanical properties (stiffness, strength), and thermal conductivity

Market view – graphene reinforcement in polymers and (shape memory and self-healing) polymer composites


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Market view – graphene reinforcement in polymers and polymer composites


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Reinforcement by mixtures of MWCNT and Graphene platelets synergetic effects for performance/ achieving good dispersion.

Conclusions


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a new material opening new opportunities - or just the next hype?

The hype cycle


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(Source:IDTechEx 2013)

Market Entrance


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Academia is in the driving seat: Universities and centres are driving commercialisation forward Research money is investment to pay dividend in terms of commercialisation progress Companies move up the value chain into intermediary positions (supplier of inks, graphene raw material, polymers, composites, …) Value will migrate to formulators (focus on ‘low hanging fruit’ to survive), volume demand from OEMs and early adopters remains sluggish

THERE ARE NO KILLER APPLICATIONS AS YET!

R&D leads the way


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“Europe invests 1 Bn € in FP 7 Graphene Flagship to become Graphene Valley” “South Korea to spend US$40 Million on Graphene development” “Cambridge’s new ₤24 Million Graphene centre to bring flexible devices to the market” “Osborne invests ₤21 Million in Graphene race” “Graphene NanoChem plc to float on Aim” ……

US$40 Million+ investment in Graphene companies (in 2012); most companies in pre-growth stage

What will be the graphene future? Looking into the crystal ball


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Expectations by industry about large-scale applications


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(Source: www.altenergystocks.com )

http://www.altenergystocks.com/

Expectations by industry about large-scale applications


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Concerns on toxicology (inflammation risk, cf. carbon black and CNT): research is just starting. Recyclability?

Follow-up


Two follow-up projects in 2014 @ Sirris: 1) Printing of conductive layers and patterns 2) Nanofillers in polymers and polymer based composites –

realising prototyping applications

For both projects we are looking for interested companies (willing to take place in ‘user group’).

Contact the presenter.

+32 498 919468

[email protected]

Peter Ramaekers, senior materials co-ordinator

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2013 12-05-sirris-materials-workshop-graphene-ramaekers

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