"Green" Graphene

The start of a full-scale nanotechnology revolution is only held back by a cost-effective way of producing nanomaterials. In part, it was the low quality and high cost of graphene on the international nanomaterials market that prompted the engineers and scientists of the TESLAR Scientific and Industrial Association 11 years ago to independently develop methods for atomic-molecular design and production of graphene. Today we, as a group of researchers and developers of convergent sciences and nanotechnology, are convinced that we have a solution to this problem.

In recent years, the sustainable and environmentally friendly synthesis of high quality graphene has been one of the hottest topics in science and technology. Various methods are used to synthesize graphene, such as chemical vapor deposition / plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD / PECVD), epitaxial growth, electric arc discharge, mechanical or ultrasonic separation, chemical intercalation of graphite, and solvothermal or chemical reduction of graphene oxide for various areas of application. However, toxic or explosive chemicals are mainly used for this purpose, including sodium borohydride, hydrazine hydrate and dimethylhydrazine, causing serious environmental and health problems. Moreover, the use of excessive amounts of reducing agents leads to the presence of undesirable toxic contamination in materials, which should limit its use, especially in biological fields.

Due to its unique qualities and importance for the ecology and development of civilization, environmentally friendly methods of graphene synthesis are extremely important. Therefore, there is a need for environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative methods of graphene synthesis without the use of hazardous reagents or expensive tools. This has prompted researchers around the world to develop new environmentally friendly methods for mass-producing graphene-based materials. Someone began to do this by changing the reagents used in existing synthetic approaches, reducing the amount of required expensive or environmentally harmful components, and someone new sources of carbon, and someone was looking for innovative ways. Since graphene can be obtained from any carbon source, a variety of environmentally friendly reductants have been investigated, including biological materials and non-hazardous chemicals. While the pursuit of scalable production of this extremely durable and conductive material continues, the search for a manufacturing method that is sustainable as well continues.

Several alternative environmentally friendly methods of graphene synthesis have been improved by TESLAR SIA, but we focused on finding opportunities to implement the idea of such great scientists as Richard Buckminster Fuller and Zhores Alferov. These two great scientists pointed to the only rational solution: using resources "which we throw away as waste" to transform them into more advanced materials with pre-programmed properties. TESLAR SIA is actively exploring the possibilities and methods of using environmentally friendly nanomaterials to improve the quality of life of all people, preserve human health and cleanse the environment. Since 2008, graphene has been used in its own production of life support systems. Since 2010, TESLAR SIA has been using graphene of its own production in the production of engineering and technical complexes, devices, devices and products designed to meet the vital needs of a person, and the technology of its production is constantly being improved.

Continuous research into nanomaterials and the search for solutions in the field of waste management has led to the emergence of sustainable nanotechnology by 2018, which opens up the widest possibilities in resource management. "Green" graphene from waste is a complex nature-like technology for processing waste (resources) of all types (including toxic ones) into environmentally friendly nanomaterials with desired properties (graphene and nanomaterials based on it). All carbonaceous materials are used to synthesize pure graphene, and all other materials are sorted, refined and used to create various new materials. Technological processes are very different, but in most cases the addition of 0.5% graphene to a material is enough to improve its properties tenfold or create new unique ones.

This includes a whole range of technologies such as: technologies for automatic sorting of waste, technologies for transformation of elements and production of nanomaterials with programmed basic qualities by methods and methods of atomic-molecular design. The possibility of using all types of waste has gained great importance as it provides a field for the production of graphene at low cost in large quantities. Given the abundance of scattered waste on the planet and even in orbit, this will change the rules of the game in the world of graphene and accelerate the onset of the nanotechnological revolution. This will become a catalyst for the ecological and technological modernization of human activity and will introduce new classes of materials, products and devices into circulation.

We, as a group of researchers and developers of nanotechnology, are convinced that the cycle of renewable raw materials is a new round in the development of a resource-based economy. Nature-like technologies and nanomaterials demonstrate in practice what degree of autonomy and what prospects their capabilities open to us. The use of nanotechnology has made it possible to implement the most rational waste management strategy - the transformation and synthesis of elements. For modern man, there is no waste anywhere in nature and there is no shortage of resources.

Naturalness means not only the transformation of elements, but implies a complete, true environmental friendliness of production and the complete absence of emissions into the environment. This also applies to energy consumption: the development includes solutions in the field of energy technologies using "green" graphene. Thus, the innovative production of nanomaterials from waste does not require external connection and uses energy obtained in a nature-like manner without burning hydrocarbons.

Thus, a technological level has been reached in the management of resources, which is of great importance for the development of civilization and its spread beyond the galaxy. This technology will be applied to transform and synthesize elements anywhere, even outside the solar system. Thus, there is no need to dig mines on this or other planets and extract fossil resources. We can now transform elements anywhere and produce the materials we need with predetermined basic properties.

According to the study, when tested, "green" graphene corresponded to the quality and performance characteristics of graphene produced in a traditional way, without the use of toxic reagents. The high quality of the obtained graphene (purity not less than 95%, thickness not more than 5 atoms) allows the end result to be used in a wide range of applications, for example, supercapacitors, biosensors, nanoelectronics, ultrasensors, composites, fuel cells, in the construction and textile industries, etc. ... In parallel, several research programs and industries were launched using the obtained nanomaterials.

Since 2010, these nanomaterials have been used by Teslar SIA for the manufacture of engineering and technical complexes, devices, products and life support systems. Since then, our researchers have been working to fine-tune their technology to make it greener and more efficient. Without leaving work on practical applications. Nanomaterials with programmable properties created atom by atom acquire qualities that are fantastic for classical physics, and these unique materials replace obsolete materials and are used in the form of heat-removing substrates and campaigns, pastes, glue, etc.

Our task as researchers was to demonstrate with the help of nature-like technologies of the 6-technological order that all human needs can be met without any need to reduce the population and without any damage to the planet and its other inhabitants. The development of green graphene technology and the development of methods for using these nanomaterials in systems and devices has been carried out for 11 years with reputable international scientific institutions. Samples of products for research were provided to agrophysical, agricultural and biomedical research institutes in Russia and Europe.

In 2018, 8 years of research and development of spectrum management nanotechnology were successfully completed. On the basis of these developments, lighting systems have been improved: polymer coatings for LEDs have been developed and introduced, allowing to obtain a real full solar spectrum, which is extremely important for the quality development and life of a person. This gave graphene-containing lighting solutions additional consumer value. Thus, the most efficient, durable and environmentally friendly lighting solutions in the industry were supplemented with a line of lamps with a biologically adequate solar spectrum - these are the first photobiologically safe lighting solutions in the history of artificial lighting.

Engineers now manage the spectrum and create the required one for the intended purpose. This made it possible to create biologically adequate artificial lighting without toxic effects for the human body: on the recommendation of specialists, UV and IR radiation, pulsation, "peaks" and "dips" of the spectrum were eliminated. Close to the solar spectrum, it avoids disturbances in the functioning of the human nervous, endocrine and immune systems. This is especially critical for the health of children under 14 years of age, in order to avoid developmental pathologies. Myopia pandemic: from 40% (Russia) to 90% (South Korea, Japan, USA) percent of pre-graduation children with visual impairments and "school" pathologies. Learn more about research on the effects of light on life.

The innovation was highly appreciated by authoritative research medical, biological and agricultural institutes in Russia and Europe. Based on these developments in spectrum management, various improvements are being made in food and medicinal plant technologies, quantum and nanomedicine, and various applications. The improvement of health indicators in living organisms has been proven. We can definitely say that this is a contribution to the development of nanomedicine and health-saving nanotechnology. Based on the results of a study of the characteristics of graphene-containing luminaires in a testing laboratory, a conclusion was issued that they are "characterized by a continuous spectrum" and other parameters that provide a "significant advantage over LED luminaires on the market today."

Lighting technology with a real solar spectrum has improved the quality of life for people and has found application in the lighting of administrative and office buildings and premises, institutions of cultural, domestic and social purposes, streets, parks, industrial zones, factories and special places with requirements for moisture and explosion protection. To date, municipalities in various countries and more than a thousand companies and private households on various continents have re-equipped their lighting facilities with graphene-containing lamps as part of energy saving programs, reducing air emissions, eliminating non-production costs, improving the sanitary and hygienic working and resting conditions of their families and employees and citizens.

The introduction of nature-like technologies and nanotechnologies in all areas of human activity continues, within the framework of energy saving programs, ensuring a safe environment and lighting hygiene, ensuring epidemiological well-being and environmental and technological modernization. Research programs are expanding, new classes of materials and fields of application of "green" graphene and nanomaterials are being developed. In addition to biologically adequate light for humans and animals, engineers and scientists have set themselves the task of developing an environmentally friendly technology for the production of food and medicinal plants for the world's population of more than 50 billion people.

In 2019, Teslar SIA, using nanomaterials based on "green" graphene, managed to make a significant contribution to the development of agricultural technologies (cityfarming), food security and epidemiological well-being of the population. This time the results of the latest developments in high-precision agricultural technologies, at the intersection of nano- and biotechnologies, were demonstrated. A healthy crop can now be grown all year round anywhere and without access to the sun. With complete absence of negative impact on the environment. Scientists have conducted tens of thousands of experiments to create graphene-containing lighting equipment for ultra-efficient plant photosynthesis. The results of 8 years of research and testing with the Agrophysical Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Science (Saint Petersburg) of technologies for year-round intensive resource-saving production of high-quality plant products have been published.

Products made from "green" graphene and nanomaterials based on it as part of an engineering and technical complex for the production of plant food and medicinal plants were demonstrated at the International Exhibition in St. Petersburg in 2019. According to the conclusion issued based on the results of tests of graphene-containing lamps for plant growth, it was noted: "high efficiency of a positive effect on the growth, development and formation of plant productivity, and ensuring high yields of quality plant products that meet strict sanitary and epidemiological requirements."

So, in order to ensure a timely harvest in modern greenhouses, scientifically grounded agricultural technologies for plant cultivation, high-quality seed material of adapted varieties, and nanotechnology for obtaining plant products with specified quality characteristics are used. Systems and devices made using all the same nanomaterials with predetermined properties are used:
- Intelligent automatic lighting control (mode, spectrum, intensity).
- Intelligent management of all work processes (Intelligent system)
- Engineering facilities with controlled microclimate
- Independent intelligent microclimate control
- Monitoring of the ecological situation (Graphene-containing sensors and sensors)
- Power supply system. (Power units generating electricity for the operation of the factory)
- Water supply system. (Atmospheric generators or water desalination plants)
- Innovative lighting and vegetation equipment (Graphene-containing phytoeffective lamps)

The plant factory as an innovative engineering and technical complex is designed to be environmentally friendly and autonomous, that is, to independently produce water and energy for their needs, purify the air and control the environmental situation. With complete absence of emissions into the environment. This demonstrates what degree of environmental friendliness, autonomy and freedom nanotechnology gives us. Non-materials created using the "green" graphene technology have been successfully applied to meet all vital human needs: creating a safe environment, producing drinking water, growing food, medicinal plants and creating modern materials necessary in all areas of human activity.

Whichever approach is taken, be it new processes, new reagents, or new approaches to old methods, it is clear that the next wave of graphene innovation will be green. According to some experts, this technology can play a very important role in the global implementation of a resource-based economy and environmental cleanup. This should be discussed separately.

In summary, we can say that the use of green graphene technology is a promising solution to the issue of environmentally friendly management of resources (including those that we used to call waste) for inexpensive scalable production of nanomaterials for various applications. Researchers are convinced that the innovation predicted by great scientists today opens up tremendous opportunities and is of great importance for the development of civilization. Technologies that provide alternative sources of materials and energy show a wide range of opportunities for using unused or underutilized resources for new interesting purposes.

TESLAR SIA, one of the world's developers of the "green" graphene technology, has put forward a global public technological initiative to use a complex of nature-like technologies to solve environmental problems and transition to a resource-based economy. According to the developer and manufacturer, no additional research and further process optimizations are required to use the technology at scale. The action program "Quantum transition to a resource-based economy" includes a complex of nature-like technologies of the 6th technological order and a new area of scientific knowledge - convergent science. Among them, technologies for recycling efficiently renewable raw materials - here referred to as "green" graphene.