A new graphene production process for the synthesis of “few-layer” graphene — for potential use in energy storage applications, amongst others — has been developed by researchers at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) and the University of Western Australia (UWA), according to recent reports.

The new approach to synthesis is reportedly faster, and “better” (with regard to a number of factors) than current production options. It should be noted here that the new process is also reportedly easily scalable to the commercial level.

Considering the great potential demand for graphene, owing to its noted properties, the new process could prove noteworthy — even though some caution is always warranted in these situations. Amongst the advantages of the new process is that fewer toxic chemicals are required during synthesis.

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The new one-step, high-yield generation process is detailed in the latest issue of Carbon, published by a collaborative team that includes BGU Professor Jeffrey Gordon of the Alexandre Yersin Department of Solar Energy and Environmental Physics at the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research and Professor HT Chua’s group at the University of Western Australia (UWA, Perth).

Their ultra-bright lamp-ablation method surmounts the shortcomings and has succeeded in synthesizing few-layer (4-5) graphene in higher yields. It involves a novel optical system (originally invented by BGU Professors Daniel Feuermann and Jeffrey Gordon) that reconstitutes the immense brightness within the plasma of high-power xenon discharge lamps at a remote reactor, where a transparent tube filled with simple, inexpensive graphite is irradiated. The process is relatively faster, safer and green—devoid of any toxic substances (just graphite plus concentrated light).

Certainly sounds promisingly simple, does it not?

The researchers involved are now planning to follow the creation of the new process with work to scale it up and to simplify it even further — with the intention being to pave the way for commercialization.