A novel spray-based deposition method has been developed to fabricate a new generation of supercapacitors. Mixtures of graphene and carbon nanotubes have been used for their fabrication, in order to improve their energy storage (by increasing the surface area) and their power (creating an optimal distribution of pores). This technique was first developed in 2006 at Thales Research and Technology on a small facility previously used for the fabrication of gas sensors based on Carbon Nanotube mats. Thanks to the Graphene Flagship project Thales and M-SOLV have jointly developed a pre-industrial level machine to achieve large surface samples 30cmx30cm. M-SOLV is presently developing in collaboration with NAWA technology (supercapacitor producer), a new generation of roll-to-roll machine to finally implement this technique in a pilot production line and increase the TRL of this technology. In this presentation we will show the current progress and the design of the new machine funded by the Graphene Flagship.
Dr Dimitrios Fantanas, Senior Development Engineer at M-Solv Ltd. He is part of the inkjet printing team, tackling the process development of various materials using additive techniques. Specialising in spray and inkjet deposition, he has been part of various customer and funded projects handling the process development and leading the machine design and commissioning. Currently leading for M-Solv the M3DLoC and Graphene Flagship H2020 projects. He finished his EngD at the University of Surrey, while working at M-Solv, working on the improvement in current carrying capability of spray deposited silver nanowire transparent conducting films. He received his MSc in Nanotechnology and Nanoelectronic devices from the University of Surrey, where he was involved in the development of plasmonic transparent electrodes, using metal grids and laser reduced graphene oxide. Finally, during his BEng degree in Electronic Engineering, he was involved in the investigation of the energy transfer between polymer materials and carbon nanotubes.
M-Solv Ltd is a manufacturing company that employs 70 people and it is based in Oxford, UK with an Asian support facility in Hong Kong. Its activities target the printed, large area and flexible electronics market. M-Solv is part of the Hong Kong-based CN Innovations group which is a broad-based manufacturing organisation, particularly active in the mobile sector.
M-Solv has a development lab with 12 in-house built processing machines including inkjet and spray systems with a range of printheads and capabilities and laser processing stations with different sources and optics: wavelengths from 10μ to 266nm and pulse lengths from CW to 200 fs with processing areas up to about 1m2 plus roll- to-roll. We believe that for a successful development a close working relationship is needed between process provider, material provider, machine developer and end user. So we have developed an extensive network of materials suppliers and other process providers, to align with this philosophy.
We operate a "foundry" for large-area electronic device manufacturing. It is a Class 10,000 (ISO7) cleanroom, with multiple production tools and is ISO 9001:2015 accredited.
