A graphene battery, as the name suggests, is a new-energy battery developed based on the characteristics of lithium ions rapidly and massively shuttling between the surface of graphene and an electrode.
Graphene is considered a revolutionary material for the future!
It’s a two-dimensional carbon nanomaterial consisting of carbon atoms forming a hexagonal honeycomb lattice with sp² hybridized orbitals.
It’s obtained by stripping it out from graphite.
Graphite, on the other hand, is a very common allotrope of carbon.
Graphene has excellent optical, electrical, and mechanical properties and has important potential applications in materials science, micronano processing, energy, biomedicine, and drug delivery.
What Ding Xiaoyou is studying is the technological application of graphene in the energy field, in other words, graphene batteries.
As Ding Yue just said, the most challenging part of graphene battery technology development isn’t the technology itself.
Rather, it’s quite difficult to obtain this material stripped from graphite.
The energy storage of graphene is not enough. Even if you have developed the graphene battery technology, it’s still impossible to use it widely.
"Hmm, the efficient stripping of graphene is indeed a big problem."
Ding Xiaoyou couldn’t help but purse her lips and sigh.
Only when the reserves of graphene material are sufficient, can graphene battery technology be widely commercialized.
"Don’t worry Xiaoyou, at the current stage, there are already many methods for preparing thin graphene, right?"
Having some knowledge of graphene, Ding Yue knows that there are several methods for preparing and stripping graphene.
However, these methods are all challenging when it comes to efficiently preparing and stripping graphene.
"Yes, at this stage, we can use mechanical stripping, redox method, SiC epitaxial growth method, and chemical vapor deposition." Ding Xiaoyou nodded.
"Since we already have methods for preparing graphene, Xiaoyou, you can completely optimize these methods based on the existing foundations, to make them more efficient at preparing graphene."
Ding Yue encouraged his little sister.
In fact, of these four graphene preparation methods, Ding Yue is most familiar with the chemical vapor deposition method.
This is well aligned with Ding Xiaoyou’s interest in chemistry.
The reason why Ding Yue knows about the chemical vapor deposition method is that it’s widely used in the semiconductor industry, especially in the deposition of a wide range of insulating materials, most metallic materials, and alloy materials.
After all, after completing his four years of university physics, Ding Yue plans to study semiconductor physics. Since the focus is on semiconductors, he would inevitably know a thing or two about the use of chemical vapor deposition in the semiconductor industry.
It was actually the mechanical stripping method that first discovered single-layer graphene.
Although the mechanical stripping method sounds easy, in fact, its shortcomings are obvious: it has low production efficiency and is difficult to realize industrial production.
Although mechanical stripping can prepare microscopic graphene, its controllability is low and it is difficult to synthesize on a large scale.
"Alright, I’ll give it a try with the chemical vapor deposition method and see if I can make any breakthrough in the efficiency."
Ding Xiaoyou nodded, looking forward to it.
"Ha Ha, little sister, then I’ll wait for your good news." Ding Yue laughed heartily.
Ding Xiaoyou rolled her eyes at her brother and then said, "By the way, I might be able to help with that photolithography machine you were talking about last night."
At these words, Ding Yue’s mouth corners hinted at a faint smile.
Actually, Ding Yue had been waiting for his sister Ding Xiaoyou to say this. After all, he had already assigned the [Lithography Manufacturing Process Technology] to her. It would be pointless if she didn’t contribute.
"Of course, although the research and production of photolithography machines mainly involve optics and precision mechanical processing, it also involves material chemistry. Don’t tell me, Ding Yue, that you don’t trust my talent in the field of material chemistry?"
Ding Xiaoyou placed her hands on her hips, speaking with full confidence.
"Of course, I believe, I believe. Who are you, Ding Xiaoyou? You’re Ding Yue’s sister!" Ding Yue quickly laughed and nodded.
"Hehe, then beg me, hurry, hurry." Ding Xiaoyou immediately started to play around.
"Are you asking for a beating?" Ding Yue approached, his palm clenched like a sandbag.
However, Ding Xiaoyou, the little girl, was not afraid at all. She stood tall and proud and said, "Come on, hit me!"
This little girl is getting much sharper!
She knows if I hit her, mom and dad will definitely give me a beating!
On this point, Ding Xiaoyou had me thoroughly figured out.
"Tch, I, the dean, will not stoop to a child’s level." Ding Yue tossed his head and disdainfully said, "The technical aspect of photolithography machines in chemistry will be up to you."
Ding Xiaoyou didn’t say anything, just made an ’OK’ hand gesture.
Though she may joke with her brother, if Mist City Arts and Science University can set up the photolithography machine experiment project, she will definitely lend a helping hand.