Researchers at the University of Manchester have discovered that graphene paint could provide a non-corrosive, chemically resistant, and impermeable coating for applications in a wide range of industries.
Dr Nair with a graphene membrane
Graphene oxide could be used in many industries including, pharmaceutical, electronic and chemical industries.
Graphene paint can help prevent corrosion in metal structures and in food packaging to maintain food fresh for a longer period. This solution can be used to paint different types of surfaces including, metals, conventional bricks and glass. When this coating is treated with a simple chemical it becomes nearly as strong as graphene, and becomes thermally and chemically stable like that of graphite.
Sir Andre Geim, a Nobel laureate, and Dr Rahul Nair had previously led a research team which showed that, under dry conditions, multilayer graphene oxide films were vacuum tight. However, when these layers were exposed to water or water vapour, they allowed molecules below a specific size through them. This property may allow multilayer graphene oxide films to be used for purification of water.
Graphene oxide films are made up of a large number of small flakes that are stacked one above another in a random manner, leaving capillaries in the nano-sized range in between them. Water molecules stay in these nano-sized capillaries along with molecules and atoms.
The research team demonstrated that treating with chemicals can close these nanocapillaries. This would make the material completely impermeable and also very strong. Glassware coated with graphene paint could be for storage of strongly corrosive acids.
Graphene paint has a good chance to become a truly revolutionary product for industries that deal with any kind of protection either from air, weather elements or corrosive chemicals. Those include, for example, medical, electronics and nuclear industry or even shipbuilding, to name but the few.
Dr Rahul Nair
The author in this study, Dr Yang Su, stated that graphene paint could be applied on sand, metal, plastic or nearly any material. Further, graphene-coated plastic films could improve shelf life of medical products.
This study has been published in Nature Communications.
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