For industrial application, the exact characterisation of the nanomaterial is crucial. Jörg Radnik measures the composition of graphene layers accurately by applying different methods.
Source: BAM
Safe standards for industrial applications of graphene
Graphene is a nanomaterial of the future. It consists of a structure of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb pattern, making it the thinnest two-dimensional material in the world. It is stronger than steel, can conduct electricity and heat, is easy to modify chemically and has unique optical properties. Due to these qualities, graphene can be used in many industries, from batteries for electric cars, microchips and solar cells to fighting viruses in medicine.
Much potential is still untapped
However, commercial use of graphene has been difficult so far because no standardised methods have been available to reliably determine its composition and structure. “Different methods provide different results. Companies therefore cannot be sure whether their products really meet the desired requirements,” explains BAM chemist Jörg Radnik. “This includes an incalculable technical and economic risk. Thus many companies still refrain from using graphene and its multiple capabilities remain untapped.”
BAM has almost a decade of experience with graphene, which was first found as a stable two-dimensional material by research scientists in 2004. Working with nine European partner institutions from industry and science, BAM is developing a method to reliably characterise both pure and chemically modified graphene. BAM can also rely on its many years of expertise in chemical nanomaterial analysis based on surface-sensitive methods and electron microscopy.
Procedures validated worldwide
Manufacturing companies supply graphene in flakes. Jörg Radnik and his team want to develop standardised methods to precisely measure lateral and vertical sizes of these flakes. This will involve determining how many layers the nanomaterial consists of and whether the size distribution of the flakes varies with each delivery or from batch to batch. Chemical analysis will be used to determine the number of elements such as oxygen, nitrogen or fluorine, since these have a significant influence on graphene’s properties, including its interaction with the environment, electrical and thermal conductivity and its optical characteristics.
Finally, starting in 2022 two interlaboratory comparisons managed by BAM will involve about twenty laboratories aiming to validate the new methods in a world-wide test and to further develop them into standards. “By establishing standardised characterisation methods for graphene, we will provide substantial support to the industry by moving innovations from the pilot stage to large-scale production more quickly,” says Jörg Radnik. “At the same time, we create confidence in the quality and safety of this material, which is an aspect that will determine not least the market opportunities for graphene.”