The November 21, 2011, issue of Chemical & Engineering News reports on the commercialization of graphene for use in composites and inks. Although noting that advanced electronic applications still remain on the horizon, the article describes the large scale production of graphene, its use in conductive inks and composites, and the current state of research into the fundamental properties of graphene and its potential contribution to advanced electronics. Quoting John Lettow of Vorbeck Materials, the article describes uses such as the ScreamPak that uses conductive ink in a securicty circuit for protective packaging. The production capacities of Vorbeck and other graphene manufacturers are described, along with brief descriptions of the respective processes, including that developed by Ilhan Aksay and Robert Prud'homme of the Chemical and Biological Engineering department at Princeton University.

(Posted 21 November 2011)