Graphene——a Brand New Material that has a positive impact on health and electricity
Graphene has the potential to change the world in many ways. Not only can it be used in electronics, but it could also be used to detect dangerous levels of ultraviolet radiation. Other applications could involve carrying chemotherapy drugs to tumors, and even using them to create stretchable electronics.
Detecting dangerous levels of ultra-violet radiation
Graphene is a highly flexible material that offers strong elasticity and light absorption. Its high sensitivity to ultraviolet, visible, and infrared light has opened up the possibility of using it in many applications. It is a promising material for building wearable electronics, including flexible UV sensors. It can be used to detect harmful levels of ultraviolet radiation in the environment.
Ultraviolet radiation (UV) can cause skin diseases, including cancer, and is therefore highly harmful. This has prompted intense interest in the development of new UV sensors. UV sensors are used in optical communication, environmental monitoring, and military applications. Besides these, UV sensors can be used in applications that require high sensitivity. For instance, a wearable UV sensor patch can be used to monitor exposure trends over time. It will alert the user when he/she has exceeded a preset threshold. It will also notify the user of the need to apply sunscreen or move to a shaded area.
Graphene combined with other materials can create transparent UV sensors that are flexible and cheap to manufacture. It also has a high sensitivity to ultraviolet, visible, and infrared light. This combination can be used to build a wearable UV sensor patch that is connected to a mobile device.
The morphology of the device was studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The morphology of the device was then characterized using artificial intelligence (AI) applications. The AI application was used to develop a characterization model, which could estimate the relationship between the color intensity ratio and the duration of UV exposure.
The graphene oxide (GO) paper-based sensor is an inexpensive method for detecting UV energy in a unit area. The sensor is fabricated using a simple fabrication technique. The sensor can detect the total UV energy in a unit area. The color change analysis shows that the primary source of color change is the photoreduction process of GO paper.
To develop the sensor, the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) in Barcelona carried out a study. The GO paper was then incorporated into the standard printing paper structure. This technique is also used to manufacture graphene-based headphones. The graphene-based headphones have a high sensitivity to ultraviolet light and can reach louder sounds with less energy.
Carrying chemotherapy drugs to tumors
Graphene is an allotrope of carbon that possesses unique properties. The low dimensionality of graphene and the high surface area of the material provides an ideal platform for drug loading and delivery. Using graphene in drug delivery has led to a large number of reports highlighting its promise in biomedical applications.
The properties of graphene have made it a promising candidate for in vivo photo-thermal ablation of tumors. The nanomaterial exhibits strong NIR optical absorption, which can be used for selective imaging of cancer cells. However, it is still unclear how graphene is used in drug delivery and whether it is effective for in vivo tumor ablation. This article will provide an overview of the recent advances in graphene-based drug delivery and discuss challenges and opportunities in this rapidly growing field.
Smart noncarbon-based drug carriers are pH sensitive, and temperature-sensitive and provide precise loading. They also offer controlled drug release and enhance the biocompatibility of different structures. They have been shown to increase drug absorption and release at acidic pH. A combination of graphene and carboxyl groups can increase the loading capacity of the carrier.
Functionalized SWCNTs have been used to load DOX. The mean square displacement (MSD) results show that the DOX-graphene carrier absorbed the drug more rapidly and released it slowly. The best dispersion was observed at a neutral pH. The carrier was also stable and provided the greatest drug concentration at the point of loading.
Graphene is also used for non-covalent p-p stacking interactions. The p-p stacking interactions can be used to adsorb aromatic molecules with a flat structure on the surface of graphene. The p-p stacking strategy has also been applied to MWNTs.
Graphene oxide can also be used to functionalize positively charged transfecting agents. It has been reported that the addition of PEG to the graphene oxide reduced the toxicity of the graphene and increased the stability of graphene in physiological solutions. A magnetic graphene oxide complex was obtained by chemical co-precipitation of Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles on GO nanoplatelets. The complex was then modified by MPEG-NHS. This complex was then used as a nano-carrier for chemotherapy drugs.
Stretchable electronics
Graphene is a promising material for stretchable electronics. The material provides excellent conductivity, flexibility, and chemical stability. It also has great transparency and mobility. The material can be used in touch screens, sensors, and wearable electronics. The properties of graphene are also very useful in energy-harvesting devices.
To make stretchable electronics, graphene must be able to sustain large cycles of stretching. This requires suitable rheology and conductivity. Graphene-based inks need to be improved to ensure that they continue to be stretchable over several cycles.
To produce graphene-based stretchable electronics, the material must be able to sustain large strains of 20 to 50%. Graphene's high mechanical strength is compatible with its high conductivity. Its conductivity can be tuned using a reversible crumpling-unfolding process.
A graphene-coated structure was folded 200,000 times without any damage. This is a significant achievement. The material was also used to protect gold structures in implantable biosensors. The structure remained intact for longer than gold alone. This could lead to an improvement in the durability of implantable biosensors.
Another research group showed stretchable conductors are extremely conductive. This conductivity can be increased by coating the material with a PVA layer. This coating also suppresses cracks during stretching.
The conductivity of a graphene/PDMS alloy was shown to increase by twofold when the material was stretched under 40% tensile strain. This material also showed a transmission rate of 50% to 60%. It is estimated that the material could extend the life of lithium-ion batteries. It can also be used in environmentally friendly batteries.
Stretchable electronics have become an exciting field of research, with many possibilities. Stretchable electronics could include bendable solar cells, robotic-like artificial skin, and circuits on flexible plastic substrates. These applications could also include stretchable logic devices and supercapacitors.
Graphene can be used to produce high-power graphene-printed resistors for stretchable electronics. These resistors can provide a stable heating source for stretchable electronics. The material is also useful for battery anodes. It can also be used in optical communications. In addition, graphene can be used as a sensor, which could lead to new kinds of displays and robotic sensory skins.
Photovoltaic cells
Graphene is an ideal material for photovoltaic cells. It has excellent electrical conductivity, high tensile strength, and remarkable plasticity. It can also be doped with atoms to form semiconductor materials. It also exhibits a high level of transparency and structural properties.
In addition to being an excellent material for solar cells, graphene also provides a unique role in charge extraction and protection. It has high thermal stability and can absorb the energy produced by the sun without degrading. As such, it provides long-term environmental stability for PV devices.
In addition, graphene-graphene solar cells are also feasible for use on flexible substrates. This allows the cells to be mounted on any surface. These types of solar cells are also more resistant to cracks and micro-cracks.
Another graphene-based material is graphene-oxide. This is produced by treating graphite with oxidizers. When the GO is deposited, it reduces the transmittance and increases the resistance. This increases the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the solar cell.
Another application of graphene-based materials in PV devices is as multilayer electrodes. Researchers have developed multilayer electrodes based on PMMA, PEDOT: PSS, gold, copper, P3HT, PCBM, and graphene. The results vary greatly.
Researchers have found that a composite of dual graphene electrodes is capable of producing high-efficiency solar cells. The solar cell's power conversion efficiency is comparable to that of standard rigid aluminum electrode devices.
Using graphene derivatives in heterojunction solar cells is also common. These include polyethylene naphtha late (PEN) and polysulfide sulfide (PSS).
The graphene study also highlights a number of potential problems. It also shows that it is not straightforward to alter the work function of graphene. It also illustrates the importance of finding the right proportions between graphene and other materials. This would help reduce the manufacturing costs of the devices.
As such, researchers are working to develop new methods for improving efficiency without sacrificing transparency. This includes developing graphene films that are less than 10 nanometers thick. Researchers have also found that graphene-graphene solar cells perform equally well on opaque paper and plastic.
Graphene is a new material that holds a lot of potential for use in photovoltaic cells. The solar cell market is poised for a robust expansion.
