Engineering graphene oxide membranes to achieve high fidelity speakers with low dimensional materials

在这个项目中，我们将设计石墨烯氧化物薄膜，以实现低维材料的高保真扬声器。我们的团队包括材料、电气和机械工程领域的三名麦吉尔教授，以及位于加拿大蒙特利尔的工业合作伙伴Ora Sound，Ora Sound是扬声器用石墨烯声学元件的全球领先者。石墨烯是由碳原子组成的单原子层，超轻、超硬，但不适合直接集成到消费音频产品中。经过化学处理的石墨烯，被称为石墨烯氧化物，可以很容易地用水基化学方法处理，并干燥成超轻和超硬的薄膜。在声学应用方面，氧化石墨烯薄膜优于常用的聚乳酸薄膜，能够以更低的电力消耗提高声音保真度。尽管如此，进一步改善它们的性能仍然存在挑战。在这个合作项目中，我们将应用最先进的研究基础设施和专业知识来：1)增加石墨烯氧化膜的硬度，以提高声音保真度，2)降低石墨烯氧化膜的密度，以提高能源效率，3)减少制造石墨烯氧化膜所需的时间，以降低成本，4)提高膜的环境稳定性，适用于要求较长使用寿命的应用，以及5)提高石墨烯氧化膜的载热能力，以降低因过热而发生故障的可能性(这是便携式电子设备中扬声器故障的最常见原因)。我们的团队将应对上述挑战，符合NSERC先进制造业研究的战略愿景，该愿景特别强调了将基于石墨烯的材料从研究实验室带入工业的重要性。我们还将培训下一代高素质的人员，了解尖端石墨烯科学和与将新材料集成到消费产品中相关的挑战。ORA Sound将直接受益于该项目的成功完成，巩固加拿大在石墨烯材料应用于新技术方面的全球领先地位。

In this project, we will be engineering graphene oxide membranes to achieve high fidelity speakers with low dimensional materials. Our team involves three McGill professors in Materials, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, with industrial partner ORA Sound based in Montreal, Canada, global leader in graphene-based acoustic components for loudspeakers. Graphene is a single atomic layer of carbon atoms that is ultra-light and ultra-stiff, but unsuitable for direct integration into consumer audio products. Chemically processed graphene, known as graphene oxide, can be easily processed with water based chemistry and dried out into ultra-light and ultra-stiff films. Graphene oxide membranes are superior to commonly used mylar membranes for acoustic applications, enabling improved sound fidelity with lower electrical power consumption. Nonetheless, challenges remain to further improve their properties. In this partnership project, we will apply state-of-the-art research infrastructure and expertise to: 1) increase the stiffness of the graphene oxide membranes to improve sound fidelity, 2) reduce the density of the graphene oxide membranes to improve energy efficiency, 3) reduce the time required to manufacture graphene oxide membranes to decrease costs, 4) increase environmental stability of the membranes for applications that demand long working life, and 5) improve the ability of the graphene oxide membranes to carry heat to reduce the likelihood of failure by overheating (the most common origin of loudspeaker failure in portable electronic devices). Our team will tackle the challenges mentioned above, fitting within NSERC's strategic vision for research in the advanced manufacturing sector, which specifically highlights the importance of bringing graphene-based materials from the research lab into industry. We will also train the next generation of highly qualified personnel to understand both cutting edge graphene science and challenges associated with integrating a new material into a consumer product. ORA sound will directly benefit from the successful completion of this project, strengthening Canada's global leadership position in the application of graphene materials in new technologies.