28.11.2024
Doctoral Thesis on environmentally friendly graphene production and the use of graphene films for bio-based electricity production
M.Sc. Sara Lund’s doctoral thesis in chemistry will be put forth for public defence at The Faculty of Science and Engineering at Åbo Akademi University.
The thesis is entitled From Exfoliation of Graphite to Graphene-based Electrodes for a Biophotoelectrochemical Application.
The public defence of the doctoral thesis takes place on 5 December 2024 at 1PM in Auditorium Argentum, Aurum, Henrikinkatu 2, Turku. You can also follow the defence online. Professor Claudia Backes, University of Kassel, Germany, will serve as opponent and Professor Jouko Peltonen, Åbo Akademi University, as custos.
Summary
Graphene, a two-dimensional crystal consisting of a single layer of carbon atoms, has garnered significant interest due to its unique electrical, optical, and mechanical properties. To fully harness its potential, environmentally friendly and efficient methods for large-scale production are needed. Graphite, a natural resource, can be used to produce graphene through shear exfoliation, where the graphite layers are separated using mechanical force in a liquid phase. This method is cost-effective but has so far been limited by low production rates and lengthy processing times.
In this study, natural graphite from Haapamäki, Finland, was used to produce graphene in water-based solutions stabilized with either sodium cholate or cellulose nanocrystals. These materials are environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and derived from renewable resources. The results demonstrated that the method produced high-quality graphene dispersions containing mostly fewer than five layers and high concentrations within just two hours.
Graphene-based films were fabricated from the produced dispersions and investigated as anode materials in bio-photovoltaic cells, which generate electricity from sunlight using photosynthetic microorganisms. The films were found to be biocompatible, hydrophilic, and to have a surface structure that supports the growth of microorganisms. Moreover, they outperformed traditional indium-tin oxide electrodes in similar conditions, making them a sustainable and cost-effective alternative.
These graphene-based films hold great potential as anode materials in bio-photoelectrochemical cells due to their environmentally friendly production process and promising performance. This research paves the way for sustainable energy solutions using abundant and renewable materials.
Sara Lund can be reached by phone or email sara.h.lund@abo.fi.
The doctoral thesis can be read online through the Doria publication archive.
Click here for a press photo of the doctoral student.
Instructions for following the doctoral defence remotely:
To follow the defence, you need the Zoom software or the Google Chrome browser. You do not need to create a Zoom account to follow the defence. If you install the application, you participate by clicking on the meeting link, after which you should allow the link to open in the Zoom app.