This week’s entry is dedicated to the research project Miniatura, granted by the Narodowe Centrum Nauki and proposed by Adrian Racki.
The project’s main goal is to investigate the possibility of removing structural defects of G-Flake® graphene materials, such as oxygen functional groups and basal plane discontinuities, during the thermal reduction of graphene oxide (or partially reduced graphene oxide) in a reducing atmosphere. Such an atmosphere can provide an additional carbon source, contributing to the effective reconstruction of the defective atomic structure of graphene flakes, thereby enhancing their electrical and thermal properties.
Our institute plans to utilize the research findings in future projects related to graphene anode batteries, coatings (paints, varnishes) with graphene additives, and conductive composites, among other applications. In such applications, chemically synthesized graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) can have limited potential due to oxygen groups and structural defects. The graphene produced as part of the planned research activities in the project will enable the improvement of the properties of components and composites made with its involvement.