Chapter 451: Landing on the ground

As a new carbon-based material, graphene has good optical, electrical, thermal and mechanical properties, and has broad application prospects in the fields of electronic information, new materials, new energy, biomedicine, etc., and is becoming a global new technology and new industrial revolution Focus. At present, more than 80 countries around the world have invested in the research and development of graphene materials, and the United States, Britain, South Korea, Japan, Europe, etc. have even promoted graphene research to a national strategic level. This article will introduce you to the world's top five graphene research centers and China's top graphene research institutions in the current research field.
1. Manchester National Institute of Graphene
Graphene came out at the University of Manchester. In 2010, physicists Andre Heim and Konstantin Novoselov from the University of Manchester won the Nobel Prize in Physics for their achievements in graphene research. As the birth country of graphene, the UK has seen the unlimited development prospects of graphene, a super material. Aiming at a new round of industrial revolution, in 2011, the British government decided to build the National Graphene Institute (NGI) at the University of Manchester. In March 2015, NGI, which cost 61 million pounds, was officially established.
NGI is currently the source of graphene-related research in the UK and the world. The core mission of NGI is to continuously explore the frontier fields of two-dimensional (2D) material science and application, and to take into account the industrialization and commercialization of graphene and two-dimensional materials. With NGI as the center, the Graphene Engineering Innovation Research Center (GEIC) and Henry Royce Research Institute undertake and develop NGI research results, and continue to explore new models of commercial applications of two-dimensional materials. Cooperation is the key to the National Graphene Institute. At present, more than 80 companies have cooperated with the University of Manchester and are committed to the application of graphene.
In 2019, NGI has published a total of nearly 60 papers, including 5 in NS regular journals, 3 in Da Zi journals, and approximately 19 in top journals such as the ACS series. Statistics found that nearly half of the research content of NGI's new top journals is related to 2D material heterostructures, mainly reporting novel or abnormal electronic fluids and optoelectronic phenomena in two-dimensional materials in heterostructures, with a focus on the field of basic physics.
2. Cambridge Graphene Research Center
The Cambridge Graphene Research Center (CambrigeGrapheneCentre, CGC) is part of the British Graphene Collaborative Innovation Organization, like the Manchester NGI. CGC is positioned as an engineering innovation center. Its main task is to bridge the academic world and industry, promote the industrialization of graphene and 2D materials, promote the marketization of applied scientific research results, and emphasize the application of 2D materials.
The main purpose of investing in CGC is to fill the gaps in two aspects: (1) For industrial production, research pilot process equipment system, test and optimize inkjet printing technology based on graphene, nanomaterials and other new 2D materials; (2) Facing the requirements for energy storage such as self-supplied energy and wireless interconnection, research on intelligent integrated devices based on transparent and flexible bases. The use of graphene and other related materials to enable new flexible, energy-saving electronic and optoelectronic devices is the core challenge faced by the above work.
In order to gradually overcome the above-mentioned difficulties, CGC arranges 2D materials related research from four major directions: (1) material growth, transfer and printing; (2) energy applications; (3) device interconnection; (4) sensor applications.
In 2019, Dr. Colm Durkan from the University of Cambridge Nanoscience Center proposed a simple and effective solution to remove PMMA residues on the surface of graphene in the journal Adv.Mater.
Figure 1. Schematic diagram of graphene device manufacturing. a) Graphene grown by CVD on Cu foil is spin-coated with bulk PMMA as a support layer. b) After transferring to a silicon substrate and removing the bulk PMMA, the graphene surface is left but with some polymer residues. c) After resist development after electron beam lithography for patterning graphene-metal contacts, more PMMA residues are left on the graphene surface. d) These residues are then trapped between the graphene and the metal electrode after metallization. e, f) After the two steps (b) and (c), processing the sample in an ionic solution as proposed in this work can effectively remove the residue on the graphene surface.
In order to understand the observations, it should be recognized that PMMA is hydrophobic, as is graphene. Therefore, PMMA strongly adheres to the graphene surface. PMMA has a carbon skeleton and ester side chains. When exposed to low pH (as in the case of HCl), the ester can be hydrolyzed to give alcohol (which will disperse into a solution) and fatty acids, which remain attached to the backbone. This acidic form of PMMA will be hydrophilic, so i) will have a weaker interaction with the graphene below, and ii) will interact more strongly with water. The combination of the two causes PMMA to dissolve slowly. As for the effect of NaCl, different reactions may occur, including the chlorination of the pendant methyl groups of PMMA to produce methyl chloride, which is also highly polar and therefore water-soluble.
3. Spanish Institute of Optoelectronic Sciences
The Institute of Photonic Science (ICFO) is a world-class research center focused on optoelectronics research. It gathers basic and applied research scientists in the field of high-end optoelectronics around the world. It is determined to solve unknown problems in the frontier field of optoelectronics and promote advanced optoelectronic technology. Applications. In view of the novel optoelectronic properties and rapid development of graphene and 2D materials, alongside quantum and nanobiology, ICFO has independently opened up a new section of graphene and 2D materials research, hoping to use 2D materials to replace traditional optoelectronic materials to solve the current optoelectronics field facing Difficulties and challenges. Fundamental science exploration and emerging application research are carried out at the same time. ICFO has established four exploration research directions in basic science and emerging applications respectively.
In 2017, the Spanish Institute of Photonic Sciences prepared the first high-resolution graphene-quantum dot CMOS imaging sensor. In 2019, the above-mentioned research group issued a total of 15 articles, and nearly 6 top publications in the Nature, PRL, and ACS series. The hot spots of the articles were mainly in the fields of two-dimensional material nanoelectromechanical vibrators, magic angle graphene and graphene optoelectronics. ,
In terms of energy, ICFO aims to explore the feasible application of graphene in semi-transparent photovoltaic devices, and to develop renewable energy devices through the application of new functional materials and nanostructures.
In terms of high-precision sensing, ICFO’s research focuses on super-resolution mass spectrometers and optical systems based on graphene nanoelectromechanical vibrators, and parallel development of graphene-based mid-infrared detectors, gas detectors, and biochemical applications such as DNA and proteins. sensor.
In the aspect of surface plasmon photonics, the main research is the electrical regulation and detection of graphene plasmons, and the light modulation based on graphene plasmons, etc.
In terms of basic optics, he mainly studies nano-quantum optics, artificial graphene, ultrafast optics, and graphene nonlinear optics.
In terms of imaging system applications, ICFO is mainly researching image sensors based on CMOS technology that can cover deep ultraviolet-visible light-infrared.
In terms of wearable applications, the main research is on flexible and translucent health detection systems, which can effectively detect multiple health parameters such as blood oxygen.
In terms of photodetectors, the main research is based on broadband absorption ultra-wideband detectors and integrated detectors that combine graphene, quantum dots and other 2D materials.
In terms of flexible sensors, the main research is graphene and other 2D materials empowered flexible sensors, including optical sensors, RFID, biochemical sensors, gas sensors, flexible screens, and antibacterial and super-lubricated surfaces.
4. Advanced 2D Materials Research Center, National University of Singapore
In 2010, the National University of Singapore (NUS) announced that it would set up a new research center, mainly focusing on the research of two-dimensional materials (like graphene). The so-called "Two-dimensional Materials Center" (2MC) will receive US$40 million in funding from the National Research Foundation in the next 10 years.
The National University of Singapore Advanced 2D Materials Research Center (TheNUSCentreforAdvanced2DMaterials, CA2DM) is similar to Manda’s NGI and Cambridge CGC. It is a new research center established under the impetus of the development wave of 2D materials. It aims to develop concepts, characterization and theoretical modeling. The revolutionary technology brought by 2D materials is explored and followed up in all directions, such as applications and applications.
Therefore, CA2DM is divided into four major research groups: (1) Graphene group; (2) Other 2D material group; (3) 2D device combination; (4) Theoretical group. CA2DM is currently the largest 2D material comprehensive research center in Singapore, and it is at the forefront of Asian countries in terms of basic scientific research and industrial applications based on 2D materials.
In 2019, CA2DM published a total of 96 articles, including 1 in Nature, NS sub-journals, AdvancedMaterails, AdvancedEnergyMaterials, NanoEnergy, ACS series and other top journals, with nearly 40 articles covering almost all the above research directions.
5. South Korea's Samsung Comprehensive Technology Institute
The development of the Korean graphene industry is closely integrated with production, education and research, and its development in basic research and industrialization is relatively balanced. Especially at the industrial enterprise level, SAIT has invested huge research and development forces to ensure its application in graphene for flexible displays, touch screens, and chips. International leadership in the field.
South Korea’s Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT) is part of the Samsung Group’s exploration and development business cluster, with the purpose of establishing
Boudless Research for Breakthrough
cutting-edge technology. Its core missions include: (1) Researching leading or original technologies for new markets (2) Promote technological integration and innovation; (3) Promote the development of nanotechnology; (4) Research disruptive technologies.
In the next 10 years, graphene has great potential to improve and transform several industrial fields, and it is also expected to create a large number of new jobs in Europe and the world. Therefore, it is very important to examine which specific industrial fields graphene is more important from a technical point of view.
One of China's top graphene research institutions-Beijing Graphene Research Institute
The Beijing Graphene Research Institute (BGI) was established in 2016 by Peking University, China National Building Materials Group, China Bao’an Group and other industry leaders under the support of the Beijing Municipal Government. It focuses on the core technology research and development of the graphene industry and high-end R&D generation. A new type of R&D institution for industrial services, incubation and transformation of scientific and technological achievements; at the same time, BGI Technology Co., Ltd. was established as a carrier for the transformation and industrialization of Beijing Graphene Research Institute. The first dean was an internationally renowned nanocarbon material expert and Academician Liu Zhongfan of Peking University. The Nobel Prize winner, Professor Konstantin Novoselov of the University of Manchester was invited to serve as the honorary dean.
Beijing Graphene Research Institute meets industrial development and major national needs, lays out core key technologies in the graphene industry, practices high-end R&D OEM service models, cultivates a batch of graphene killer applications, and incubates a group of graphene high-tech companies , Cultivate 100 billion-level graphene industry clusters, and build the core competitiveness of my country's graphene industry.
Leading the core technology source of the graphene industry, the high-tech industry innovation mechanism and innovation culture demonstration zone, the global graphene high-end talent gathering place, the graphene industry resource synergistic aggregation and the innovation and entrepreneurship highland.
At present, the prepared graphene materials are far from ideal. Therefore, what I have recently said is that today's graphene materials are not equivalent to future graphene materials. The current use of graphene is not necessarily even very good. May not become the core of the future industry. For us, we need to make it to the extreme in order to form an industry, and the preparation determines the future. The key is whether we can make a really good graphene material.
Regarding the future graphene industry, it will be built on the basis of the killer application of graphene materials, rather than as a panacea-like additive. The domestic market is mainly concerned with these products, including clothing, coatings, composite materials, adsorption, lubrication products, as well as graphene lithium batteries, smart bracelets, graphene mobile phone touch screens, etc.; while the international focus is on graphene super cars. .uukanshu.com also has IoT sensors, wearable devices and health management, data communications, energy technology, composite materials, and more.
Regarding the current situation of China's graphene material industry, there is a serious tendency to rush for quick success, lack of attention to the core technology of the future graphene industry, a large number of patents, but insufficient innovation capabilities and lack of real core intellectual property rights. In addition, the hype in the capital market is mixed, the blind construction of industrial parks, and simple duplication are serious. Testing standards have not yet been established, market products are mixed, and funding is scattered and seriously inadequate. The government must clarify its decision-making position, focus on laying out the core technologies of the graphene industry in the future, and hand over low- and mid-end products to the market and enterprises.
About graphene patents
According to a study by CambridgeIP, a British patent consulting company, as of May 2014, the number of patents applied for in the graphene field worldwide was 11,372, with Asia accounting for 3,060, and Europe and the United Kingdom with only 361 and 41 respectively, which is clearly lagging behind. The number of patents in the graphene field needs to be viewed carefully.
At present, China and South Korea have applied for a large number of patents in the field of graphene, and the European Patent Office is very picky in granting patents, so the number of patent applications filed in Europe is relatively small. The gap in the number of patents is not an indicator that Europe is lagging behind in this technical field.
In terms of the absolute number of patents, it is undeniable that Europe is lagging behind, but its quality is not lower than that of other countries. Many Chinese patents are not international patents; South Korea has dozens of patents in a certain field, while European patents cover many research fields. Europe and the United Kingdom do need more patents and are working hard to do so, but the number of patents needs to be viewed more carefully.