Zhao Jun Han at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation says the technology, called GraphAir, transforms soybean oil into functional graphene films in a single step. Graphene production typically requires explosive, compressed gases; high temperatures for extended time periods; and extensive vacuum processing.
“This ambient-air process for graphene fabrication is fast, simple, safe, potentially scalable, and integration-friendly,” Han says.
The team—which also includes researchers from The University of Sydney, University of Technology Sydney and The Queensland University of Technology—also evaluated other renewable and waste oils for graphene production.
Their work was published in a recent issue of Nature Communications. CSIRO is looking for partners to evaluate new uses for graphene, specifically in photovoltaics, batteries, and anti-corrosion coatings.