I-Corps: Highly efficient/low cost method for mass production of graphene platelets

该项目将评估基于等离子体方法的石墨烯新方法的商业潜力。该项目的技术部分将专注于创建用于石墨烯合成的工业规模原型系统。 该跨学科项目具有基础和技术意义。其根本意义在于，我们对等离子体在石墨烯合成中的基础作用的理解将大大扩展。其技术和科学意义在于探索利用各种手段控制电弧放电中石墨烯合成的可能性，提高石墨烯产量的可能性，并最终为石墨烯的大规模生产和工业应用铺平道路。国民经济的许多重要部门将受到潜在影响。石墨烯的规模化生产技术的成功开发（大量生产）将对能源储存、电子、航空航天、机械、民用和生物医学应用产生巨大影响。该项目具有多种行业的潜力。自2004年石墨烯首次在实验室中被创造以来，石墨烯一直被认为是一种具有重大前景的材料。碳原子的二维薄片是已知最坚固的材料，石墨烯的电学特性使其成为更快计算机芯片中硅的潜在替代品。 与工业合作伙伴一起，该团队正在开发基于石墨烯的电化学储能应用。 他们将评估材料的商业潜力，并根据潜在客户的具体要求优化其性能。

This project will evaluate commercial potential of the novel approach of plasma-based method of graphene. The technical part of the project will be focused on creation of an industrial-scale prototype system for graphene synthesis. The proposed interdisciplinary project has both fundamental and technological significance. The fundamental significance is that our understanding of the fundamental role of plasmas in graphene synthesis will be greatly expanded. The technological and scientific significance lies in exploring the possibility of using various means to control graphene synthesis in arc discharge, possibility to enhance graphene production yield and ultimately pave the way for graphene mass production and industrial applications. Many important sectors of the national economy will be potentially affected. Successful development of the technology for producing graphene in a scalable manner (to produce large volumes of such) would have an enormous impact on energy storage, electronics, aerospace, mechanical, civil, and biomedical applications.This project has potential for a variety of industries. Since graphene was first created in the lab in 2004, graphene has been considered a material with significant promise. The two dimensional sheets of carbon atoms are the strongest material known, and graphene's electrical properties make it a potential replacement for silicon in faster computer chips. Together with industrial partners, the team is developing graphene-based electrochemical energy storage applications. They will evaluate the commercial potential of the material and will optimize its performance based on specific requirements from potential customers.