Compressed graphene ink to antennae rescue

Antennae performed well enough to be used in RFID tags and wireless sensors

Researchers at the University of Manchester have printed a radio frequency antennae using compressed graphene ink to demonstrate the commercial viability of the highly-conductive material for low-cost electronic applications. 

Designed and manufactured in conjunction with graphene manufacturer BGT Materials, the antennae performed well enough to be used in radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags and wireless sensors. 

Kostya Novoselev, a researcher at the University of Manchester who co-ordinated the project, said: “The point is that graphene is no longer just a scientific wonder. It will bring many applications to our daily life very soon.”

Graphene conductive ink, used to print circuits and other electrical components, is made by mixing graphene flakes with a solvent, and sometimes a binder to help the ink stick and increase conductivity.

However, the research team found a way to increase conductivity of graphene ink without resorting to a binder. This was done by first printing and drying the ink and then compressing it with a roller. Compressing the ink increases its conductivity by more than 50 times. Xianjun Huang, first author of the projects’ research paper, said that this manufacturing technique is designed for “large-scale, high throughput, mass commercial production”.

The researchers tested the compressed graphene laminate by printing a 14cm long, 3.5mm across, graphene antennae onto a piece of paper, which was found to radiate radio frequency power effectively. This is far cheaper than current methods of printing electronics on expensive metals, such as aluminium and copper.