Graphene substitute is easy to mass produce
1 min read
A team from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) has developed a material that offers the same benefits of graphene, but can be easily mass produced.
The synthesised carbon nanosheets were created using a simple two-step process, similar to the one used to mass produce carbon fibre, which involves spin-coating the substrate with a polymer solution and then heating it to 1,200°C.
Unlike chemical vapor deposition (CVD) – a lengthy, complicated process for producing graphene, the KIST team's method is relatively simple and has the added benefit of being catalyst and transfer free.
The researchers say the technique also faces a much easier transition to full scale commercialisation.
They have so far shown that the nanosheets can be used directly as transparent electrodes for organic solar cells, without requiring any additional processing.
Dr Han Ik Joh, who led the research, said: "[The method] is expected to be applied for commercialisation of transparent and conductive 2D carbon materials without difficulty since this process is based on the continuous and mass produced process of carbon fibre."
