I-Corps: Pilot Production Of Large Area Uniform Single-Crystal Graphene Films

这个创新团队项目将探索生产高质量、均匀的大面积石墨烯薄膜的商业可行性，将NSF资助的先前基础研究产生的知识转化为新产品。该团队提交了一项低成本、大规模的石墨烯合成技术专利，其主要优势包括：1)合成过程中不需要真空和高温，从而实现灵活、经济的设计和操作；2)结合所提出的卷对卷加工概念，不受炉子尺寸限制的石墨烯薄膜尺寸；3)生产高电子质量的石墨烯薄膜(大颗粒尺寸、高载流子迁移率、低方阻)；以及4)易于修改为工业规模的连续生产方法。该项目将实现的概念验证演示是生产一种超紧凑、低功率的蒸汽传感器设备，用于灵敏和选择性地检测呼气中的乙醇。这将反映出石墨烯的载流子迁移率将超过5000 cm2/V-S，这一水平适合许多下一代电子应用。该项目的成功完成将导致对该技术做出明确的通过或不通过的决定，并在适当的情况下制定商业过渡到市场的计划。石墨烯是一种新兴的“超级材料”，有许多拟议的应用，包括用于触摸屏显示器和太阳能系统的柔性透明导体；用于通信的高频电子设备；以及用于医疗诊断、食品和水纯度分析以及环境监测的先进传感器，所有这些都是实时的。因此，高质量的“晶片规模”石墨烯材料的工业批量供应将使企业界能够开发这些应用和其他应用，并为社会带来巨大的潜在利益。拟议的技术将在成本、质量和设计灵活性方面比竞争对手的概念更具优势。I-Corps项目的成功完成将使技术从实验室过渡到市场。

This Innovation-Corps project will explore the commercial feasibility of production of high quality, uniform large-area graphene films, translating into new products the knowledge that resulted from prior NSF-funded fundamental studies. The team submitted for patent a low cost, large-scale graphene synthesis technology with key advantages including: 1) no need for vacuum and high temperature during synthesis, thus enabling flexible, economical design and operation; 2) graphene film size not limited by furnace dimension with the proposed roll-to-roll processing concept; 3) production of graphene films with high electronic quality (large grain size, high carrier mobility, low sheet resistance); and 4) a continuous production method that is easily modified to industrial scale. The proof-of-concept demonstration to be achieved by this project is production of an ultra-compact, low power vapor sensor device for sensitive and selective detection of ethanol in breath. This will reflect the fact that the carrier mobility of the graphene will exceed 5000 cm2/V-s, a level suitable for numerous next-generation electronic applications. Successful completion of the project will result in a clear go/no go decision on the technology and a plan for commercial transition to market if appropriate.Graphene is an emerging "super material" with numerous proposed applications including flexible transparent conductors for touch screen displays and solar energy systems; high frequency electronics for communications; and advanced sensors for medical diagnostics, analysis of food and water purity, and environmental monitoring, all in real-time. Availability of high quality "wafer-scale" graphene material in industrial quantities will thus enable the development of these applications and others by the business community, with substantial potential benefit to society. The technology proposed will have advantages of cost, quality, and design flexibility over competing concepts. Successful completion of this I-Corps project will enable technology transition from the lab to the market place.