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Micromechanical dry exfoliation device
The main advantages provided by the invention are: Versatility: the method is appl...
Universitat de València
From Valencia, Spain
Posted by Universitat de ValènciaResponsive2014-05-30 13:14:19 · Patents for licensing · Spain
Summary of the technology
The main advantages provided by the invention are:
Versatility: the method is applicable to any layered material and on any type of substrate.
Simplicity: the method consists in a dry exfoliation without adhesive materials.
Quality and reproducibility: the exfoliation is clean (no trace of adhesive), reproducible and it does not produce defects in the substrate.
Efficiency: it is possible to deposit a high density of atomically thin layers of the material.
Control: it is possible to control the pressure exerted, allowing for a fine-tuning of the deposition conditions depending on the nature of the layered material manipulated.
Description of the tech for sale
After the discovery of graphene, layered materials have awakened great interest among the scientific community and in industry. Atomically thin layers of these materials present unique mechanical, optical or electronic properties, opening the possibility to develop new applications. The structural features of these materials allow for the deposition of atomically thin layers on a variety of substrates. This may be achieved for instance by the micromechanical exfoliation method, also known as "Scotch tape” method. While this procedure has been widely used for the delamination of graphite, it is limited by the small amount of material obtained and its low quality and reproducibility, which has prevented the escalation of the procedure and its application as an industrial method. There are many alternative methods to the "Scotch tape" one, however most of the dry methods require specific instrumentation and are very difficult to implement in a conventional laboratory. Researchers at the University of Valencia have developed a new device for dry micromechanical exfoliation of two-dimensional materials.
Specifications
The great simplicity together with the relatively high efficiency of the micromechanical exfoliation approach has inspired the development of this device that includes remarkable improvements. The new method enables the exfoliation of layered materials on any surface in a clean and reproducible way. It does not produce defects in the substrate and it makes it possible to obtain larger areas of atomically thin layers and with higher flake density than those obtained by conventional methods. In particular, the new device is especially interesting for the exfoliation of some transition metal dichalcogenides (i.e. TaS2) which are difficult to delaminate using the traditional "Scotch tape" method.
Main advantages of its use
- See “New and innovative aspects” section
Applications
- Atomically thin layers of layered materials have many potential applications, especially in optical and electronic industries. The device is applicable to delamination and production of atomically thin layers of any layered material, highlighting the good results obtained for particular metal dichalcogenides such as TaS2. Other examples of materials that could also be delaminated are graphite, mica, layered materials with intercalation compounds, etc.
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About Universitat de València
Public Agency from Spain
Universitat de ValènciaThe University of Valencia, founded over five centuries ago by the Juries of Valencia, is a modern European public University, open to almost all branches of knowledge: social, economic and legal sciences, Basic experimental sciences, engineering and Tehcniques, health sciences, educational sciences and the humanities.
More than 41,000 undergraduate students, 4,000 postgraduate students, 2,000 students from other universities all over the world, take classes taught by more than 4,000 professors, lectures and researchers at our campuses (more than 440.000 square meters) with the support of over 1,700 administration and service staff.
Our university community is committed to being a university of reference: we are ranked 4º in Europe in receiving Erasmus students and 5ª in sending of students (Ranking Erasmus Mobility); It is fourth spanish university in research at the international level, ranking between 201 and 300, according to Shanghai Jiao Tong University Rankings.
The University of Valencia is working in a wide range of investigative fields. The results of this activity are applied in a variety of productive sectors and social areas. Information of interest for businesses and public bodies about the Scientific and Technological Capacity of the University of Valencia is made available and offered for socioeconomic transfer through its Research Results Transfer Office (OTRI).
The OTRI is a service that manages and assesses in the generation and transfer of University knowledge towards the industry, encouraging the University role as an active agent in the economic and social development; makes easier the access to the University of Valencia research facilities; manage the intellectual property of the research results produced in the University and carry out its valorisation for efficient transfer, and offers orientation of university research groups towards the needs of Business, promoting and guiding effective relationships for exchange of knowledge applied to the needs of social and industrial environment, making easier its information dissemination and transfer.
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