Flinders joins First Graphene to press 2D Fluidics

Flinders University joined forces with graphene supplier First Graphene on Monday to establish a new Australia-based advanced materials venture called 2D Fluidics.

The business will commercialise the Vortex Fluidic Device (VFD) chemical processing machine to manufacture nanomaterials including graphene and carbon nanotubes.

In addition to research applications, the materials have applications in composite plastics and electronic components such as circuits, supercapacitors and batteries. It does not require abrasive or toxic chemicals during the manufacturing process.

The VFD works by exerting high pressures on liquids inserted through a tube spun at velocity. 2D Fluidics will use the technology to accurately convert carbon graphite into chunks of graphene, a two-dimensional material with excellent robustness and energy conduciveness.

While First Graphene already manufactures graphene from Sri Lankan graphite, the industry has struggled to process large quantities without sacrificing the graphene’s condition.

A research team led by Colin Raston, professor of clean technology in the Flinders Institute for NanoScale Science and Technology, invented VFD before demonstrating how its capabilities could be harnessed to unboil an egg.

The machine is already being used to develop a range of other nanomaterials, according to the university. First Graphene has been collaborating with Raston’s lab for more than a year.

Raston said: “The commercial availability of these materials using the VFD will open exciting possibilities in industry for low-cost, environmentally sustainable production, particularly with 2D Fluidics looking to scale up production using our device’s continuous flow technology.”