Graphene inks bring smart devices

Method could be used for smart packaging, pharmaceutical and biomedical applications, such as drug delivery systems.

Researchers at the University of Manchester have developed a method of producing water-based and inkjet-printable 2D graphene inks, which could be used for smart packaging, pharmaceutical and biomedical applications, such as drug delivery systems.  

Using graphene and other 2D materials, scientists can layer these materials, similar to stacking bricks of Lego in a precisely chosen sequence, known as a “heterostructure”,
to create devices tailored to a specific purpose. Examples including efficient light detectors, and devices that can store information encoded in binary form, have been demonstrated in collaboration with the University of Pisa.  

Current ink formulations, which would allow heterostructures to be made by simple and low-cost methods, can contain toxic solvents or require time-consuming and expensive processes. 

Daryl McManus, PhD student at the University of Manchester, said: “These inks provide a perfect platform to fully exploit the range of properties of 2D materials by allowing for the first time a precise and scaleable method for fabrication of devices of arbitrary complexity utilising 2D materials.”