The Graphene-Info newsletter (October 1, 2024)

Innovate UK has announced a £3.2 million (around USD$4.2 million) investment in seven projects to further advance the decarbonization of the domestic concrete industry. This funding forms part of the agency's broader effort to foster sustainable practices and reduce carbon emissions within the construction sector.

Among the recipients is Cemex UK Operations, that intends to use the investment to further the development of CoMLaG, a combination of micronized limestone and graphene, which aims to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete.

Versarien has announced the completed sale of its wholly-owned subsidiary AAC Cyroma to Harper Bennett for £0.55 million (around USD$734,000).

Versarien said the sale aligned with its strategy to focus on its core graphene technology and divest its more mature businesses. It said the consideration would be paid in 16 equal quarterly instalments of £34,375, starting three months after completion. To safeguard the transaction, Versarien would retain a charge over AAC Cyroma's assets and those of Harper Bennett until all payments were completed.

INBRAIN Neuroelectronics has announced the world’s first human procedure of its cortical interface in a patient undergoing brain tumor resection. INBRAIN’s BCI technology was able to differentiate between healthy and cancerous brain tissue with micrometer-scale precision.

This milestone represents an advancement in demonstrating the ability of graphene-based BCI technology beyond decoding and translating brain signals, to become a reliable tool for use in precision surgery in diseases such as cancer, and in neurotechnology more broadly. The study was sponsored by the University of Manchester, and primarily funded by the European Commission’s Graphene Flagship project. The clinical investigation study was conducted at Salford Royal Hospital.

Alienware debuted its Pro Mouse and Keyboard in January at CES 2024, and now the company is introducing the Pro Headset as part of the series. 

The headphones incorporate various technologies, including 50mm drivers that are coated with graphene to reduce distortion commonly found at higher frequencies. 

Advanced Material Development (AMD) has entered into a commercial and technical collaboration with Xyntra Chemicals, a prominent player in the supply, manufacture, and development of polymers. The collaboration aims to develop a range of unique customized latex polymers to support AMD’s colorimetric smart sensing technologies. These polymers will be enhanced by graphene, along with additional nanomaterials. 

The immediate priority of the new partnership is to optimize Xyntra’s polymer technology to support the early-stage production of AMD's innovative vaccine vial monitor technology and create the production-ready formula that will enable Xyntra to manufacture the solution at scale under license.

First Graphene has secured an agreement with Halocell Energy to supply graphene for the manufacture of perovskite solar cells.

The initial two-year agreement will result in First Graphene providing its PureGRAPH material to Halocell for use as a high-performing coating for perovskite solar cells. By incorporating PureGRAPH into its products, Halocell Energy hopes to expedite its manufacturing process and enhance light absorbing performance, which will enable the company to scale up commercial production to meet demand.

A research team from Skoltech, MIPT, Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics of Russian Academy of
Sciences, and other scientific organizations recently conducted a study to determine which conditions are the most suitable for storing graphene oxide.

The results showed that the most optimal conditions for graphene oxide, when its properties will not change, are low temperatures and a lack of light. 

Directa Plus PLC said that it expects to underperform against market expectations as it posted a larger interim loss, citing shorter term headwinds and an extended timeline for the award of a substantial tender for its subsidiary Setcar, which deals with the decontamination of industrial plants and environmental services.

The Company said pretax loss widened to €2.5 million in the first half of 2024, from €1.9 million a year ago. Revenue fell 26% to €3.4 million from €4.6 million. Employee benefit expenses increased to €2.3 million from €2.2 million. Costs for raw materials and consumables decreased to €1.5 million from €2.2 million.