Scientists from the University of Córdoba have presented a new prototype that could be an important step towards mass production of graphene. This material, which was first synthesized in 2004, has unique properties such as high strength, flexibility and lightness. However, a cheap and sustainable method of production on an industrial scale does not yet exist.

New research published in the Journal of Chemical Engineering presents a technological advance that increases graphene production by more than 22% while maintaining high quality. This development is based on plasma technology, which uses partially ionized gas to break down organic molecules and form graphene.

One of the most important advantages of plasma technology is the energy environment that allows organic molecules to easily break down. The team used this technology to break down ethanol and rearrange the molecule’s carbon atoms, leading to the formation of graphene.
The innovative achievement of the research is the optimization of the energy consumption of the process, which allows increased graphene production. The group’s previous research showed that almost 43% of the energy provided was wasted and “wasted.” To prevent this energy loss, the researchers built a Faraday cell, a metal grid around the plasma that acts as an electromagnetic shield.

Thanks to this protection that makes the best use of plasma energy, graphene production increased from 4.3 milligrams per minute to 5.2 milligrams per minute in the same time and power. The research was carried out by a group from the Plasma Innovation Laboratory of the University of Córdoba, in collaboration with the Institute of Energy and Environmental Chemistry (IQUEMA), which is partly responsible for assessing the quality of the produced graphene.

According to the study’s lead author, Francisco Javier Morales, “plasma technology is a high-energy medium that can easily break down organic molecules.” Rocio Rincón, the group’s principal investigator, said: “The group’s previous research showed that almost 43% of the energy provided was wasted and wasted, and with the new technology we were able to prevent this energy loss.”