IIT Bombay develops a bio method for producing reduced graphene oxide

This is truly fantastic! 

IIT Bombay scientists have developed a process to produce reduced graphene oxide—a wonder material with vast industrial applications—using bacteria. This bio-method for producing reduced graphene oxide is easy, low cost and green because it avoids the use of hazardous, carcinogenic chemicals and expensive laboratory instruments. 

Here is some background, first. Graphene is a single, 2-dimentional layer of carbon atoms. It is produced by exfoliation of graphite, a mineral. But what you get is graphene oxide, which is a good material, but is electrically less conductive. Graphene oxide has a large number of ‘defects’, and contains 30-35 per cent Oxygen, by weight. 

Reduced Graphene oxide can be obtained by removing a large percentage of oxygen content from Graphene oxide. This material contains around 5 per cent Oxygen by weight. Reduced Graphene oxide has some advantages over prestine Graphene—rGO can be stored longer without agglomeration and is more stable in organic solvents. Also, rGO is more conductive. 

The industry is going to need huge volumes of graphenes and rGO and whoever gets in first has a headstart over the others. Mass production of graphene in a cost-effective manner has been a challenge.  

But now, IIT Bombay has come up with a solution. 

For further details, get in touch with: 

The Dean (Research & Development), 

2nd Floor, IRCC - SOM Building, 

Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, 

Powai, Mumbai 400 076 

Phone :91-22-2576 7030/7039 

Fax :91-22-2572 3702 

email :dean.rnd[at]iitb.ac.in