Project ISO-G-SCoPe - Standardisation of characterisation methods for the structural and chemical properties of graphene

23/09/2021

• Challenge
• Objectives
• Methods
• Partners

Graphene and related 2D materials are predicted to make a major impact in many technology areas such as the energy sector, photovoltaics, batteries, flexible electronics, composites, consumer products, novel coatings, clothing, automotive and aerospace industries. However, the uptake of these materials into commercial products is hindered as industrial produced “graphene” is often incompletely characterised. Aim of this project is to overcome this “what is my material” barrier for both users and producers.

Procedures for reliable structural and chemical characterisation of industrial produced raw and functionalized graphene will be developed for different methods like scanning electron microscopy (SEM/TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The outputs are aligned with the need of European and international Standards Developing Organisations and the end users and incorporated into standards at the very earliest opportunity.

Project partners lead and contribute to three international standards. Furthermore, four inter-laboratory studies will be undertaken under VAMAS: 1) XPS of functionalised graphene; 2) AFM and SEM (combined) on graphene flakes; 3) Raman spectroscopy of graphene flakes and 4) SEM of graphene oxide, thereof two of them under the leadership of BAM.

The consortium brings together the leading European national metrological institutes from the UK, France, Italy and Germany of advanced materials and graphene in particular. These institutes are completed by key research institutes and companies from France, Spain, the UK and Germany. This project (19NRM04 ISO-G-SCoPe) has received funding from the EMPIR programme co-financed by the participating states and from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.

The EMPIR project ISO-G-SCoPe: Standardisation of characterisation methods for the structural and chemical properties of graphene

The project’s overall aim is to validate and standardize measurement and characterization methods for the chemical and structural properties of graphene both in powders and liquid dispersion for industrial applications. The project addresses the need to overcome the “what is my material?“ barrier for both users and producers.

BAM's contribution

BAM‘s role within the ISO-G-SCoPe project is the development of procedures for reliable structural and chemical characterisation of industrially functionalised graphene and graphene oxide with XPS , SEM and EDX .

BAM leads the work package of the development of characterisation methods of O-, N-, and F-functionalised graphene. Hereby, procedure for the reliable determination of the chemical composition of functionalised graphene with XPS are being developed. Furthermore, new measurement guidance for the accurate measurement of the lateral and vertical size of graphene oxide flakes will be developed.

Under the leadership of BAM two VAMAS interlaboratory comparisons are initiated: one for the determination of chemical composition of raw and O-, N-, F functionalized graphene (VAMAS TWA 2, project A33), the other one for dimensional analysis of graphene oxide by SEM.

Project coordination

NPL National Physical Laboratory, UK

Project partners

BAM Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung, Germany
BREC Solutions, UK
C2N Centre de Nanoscience et de Nanotechnologies France
Haydale, UK
INRIM Instituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica, Italy
KIT Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, Germany
LNE Laboratoire National de Métrologie et d’Essais, France
UoM University of Manchester, UK

Funding

This project (19NRM04 ISO-G-SCoPe) has received funding from the EMPIR programme co-financed by the participating states and from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.