Fabrication of graphene based nanomaterials from zenyatta graphite for energy and environmental applications

石墨烯是一种由单层石墨组成的二维薄片，具有独特的性能和巨大的应用潜力。根据Allied Market Research，到2020年，全球石墨烯市场预计将达到1.491亿美元，2014 - 2020年预测期间的复合年增长率（CAGR）预计为44%。然而，目前还没有清洁和经济的技术用于大规模生产石墨烯和石墨烯衍生物。石墨是大量生产石墨烯和石墨烯基纳米材料的主要来源。总部位于安大略省桑德贝的Zenyatta Ventures有限公司目前正在安大略省东北部开发大型、独特的与火成岩相关的奥尔巴尼石墨矿床，该矿床总储量约为100万吨石墨碳。目前世界上还没有其他类似的与火成岩有关的石墨矿床。这个拟议的NSERC-CRD/OCE-VIPII（安大略省卓越中心-创新和生产力代金券II）联合项目直接源于我们目前的NSERC CRD项目，该项目于2015年5月启动。我们成功合成了氧化石墨烯（GO），发明了一种制备氟掺杂氧化石墨烯（F-GO）的新工艺，并合成了一种新颖的三维（3D）互连还原氧化石墨烯（IC-rGO）。这个拟议的联合项目的主要目标有两个：(i)开发和优化氧化石墨烯、氧化石墨烯和氧化石墨烯的生产技术；（ii）扩大生产过程，从目前的1克小型实验室规模扩大到100克大型实验室规模，并对能源和环境应用进行高质量控制。这个联合项目很好地符合扩大这种性质的技术的标准行业实践；也是确保这一价值创造留在加拿大的关键一步。禅雅塔石墨项目的成功将为安大略省西北部以及加拿大提供出色的就业和商业机会，因为目前北美没有石墨矿生产。******

Graphene, a two-dimensional sheet comprising a single layer of graphite, possesses unique properties and strong potential for myriad applications. According to Allied Market Research, the global graphene market is expected to garner $149.1 million by 2020, and a 44% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is predicted during the 2014 - 2020 forecast period. However, there is currently no clean and cost-effective technology for the mass production of graphene and graphene derivatives. Graphite is a major source for the significant production of graphene and graphene-based nanomaterials. Zenyatta Ventures Ltd., based in Thunder Bay, Ontario, is presently developing the large, unique igneous-related Albany Graphite Deposit in Northeastern Ontario, which contains a total resource of ~1 million tonnes of graphitic carbon. No other similar igneous-related graphite deposit is currently known to exist anywhere in the world. This proposed NSERC-CRD/OCE-VIPII (Ontario Centres of Excellence - Voucher for Innovation and Productivity II) joint project arises directly from our current NSERC CRD project, which was initiated in May 2015. We have successfully synthesized graphene oxide (GO), invented a new process for the fabrication of fluorine-doped graphene oxide (F-GO), and synthesized a novel three-dimensional (3D) interconnected reduced graphene oxide (IC-rGO). The primary goal of this proposed joint project is two-fold: (i) to develop and optimize technologies for the production of GO, F-GO and IC-rGO; and (ii) to scale up the production process, from our current one-gram small lab scale to a 100-gram large lab scale, with high quality control for energy and environmental applications. This joint project aligns well with the standard industry practice of scaling-up technologies of this nature; and is the critical next step to ensure that this value creation remains in Canada. The success of Zenyatta's graphite project will provide excellent job and business opportunities across Northwestern Ontario, as well as Canada, since currently there is no graphite mine production in North America.******