Newswise — Singapore; Ludwigshafen, Germany – 20 January 2014 – The Graphene Research Centre (GRC) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Science and the world’s leading chemical company BASF have partnered to develop the use of graphene in organic electronic devices, such as organic light emitting diodes(OLED). The goal of this collaboration is to interface graphene films with organic electronic materials for the creation of more efficient and more flexible lighting devices.

“Our motto at GRC is ‘Inventing the Future’ and the combination of graphene from GRC and organic materials from BASF is the perfect way to research possibilities that have not been explored before and can lead to transformative technology. We are working towards a bright future where clean energy can be harvested, transported and stored in efficient ways, in order to be used to create a better and healthier living for all of us,” says Prof. Antonio Castro Neto, Director of the Graphene Research Centre and a Distinguished Professor at the Department of Physics, NUS Faculty of Science and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, NUS Faculty of Engineering.

“Graphene is a fascinating material, with regard to both its electronic properties and its mechanical strength. We have been engaged in the research of graphene for several years and are now ready to enter partnerships with excellence research centres in order to complement and speed up our device development,” says Dr Josef R. Wünsch, Senior Vice President Modeling & Formulation Research at BASF, also responsible for incubation in the graphene space.

The NUS team at GRC will be responsible for the synthesis and characterisation of the graphene. The researchers have already developed a patent-pending methodology for the reliable growth and transfer of high-quality graphene films onto different flexible substrates that can be used in solar cells and lighting panels. BASF develops and provides organic active materials that allow for its integration into a device, jointly with graphene films.

“Graphene is a potentially important component in the future of lighting and low-weight energy storage. Through this cooperation, we aim to greatly advance the performance of graphene-based next generation organic electronic devices,” says Dr Kitty Cha, a graphene research scientist at BASF who is managing the project.

The scientific aspects of the collaboration at NUS are coordinated by Prof. Loh Kian Ping, a leading chemist at GRC and Head of the Department of Chemistry at the NUS Faculty of Science. For the OLED project, the goal is to develop a robust process of transferring and incorporating graphene in OLED devices. The researchers have to overcome the key challenge of working with atomically thin films of graphene and interfacing these films efficiently with organic materials. If successful, incorporating graphene into OLED and other devices based on electronically active organic materials will allow for inexpensive, flexible and more efficient gadgets.

“Graphene, which is one of the crystalline forms of carbon, was only relatively recently discovered in 2004. The Graphene Research Centre at NUS Faculty of Science, which has already established itself as one of the leaders in the graphene research, is now also establishing itself as an industry collaborator, bringing about new applications of graphene across a wide range of sectors,” says Ms Irene Cheong, Director, NUS Industry Liaison Office, which facilitated this industry collaboration.

About National University of Singapore (NUS)

The National University of Singapore is a leading research-intensive university centred in Asia. Ranked in the top 30 worldwide, NUS offers a global approach to education and research, with a focus on Asian perspectives and expertise. NUS has three Research Centres of Excellence (RCE) and 23 university-level research institutes and centres. It is also a partner in Singapore’s fifth RCE. NUS shares a close affiliation with 16 national-level research institutes and centres. Research activities are world class, and NUS is well-known for its research strengths in engineering, life sciences, medicine, social sciences, natural sciences and at the intersection of these disciplines to address issues such as ageing and sustainability.

NUS Enterprise provides an enterprise dimension to NUS’ teaching and research activities. This is done through initiatives focusing on Experiential Education, Industry Engagement & Partnership and Entrepreneurship Support. Through its Industry Liaison Office, NUS Enterprise manages and protects the University’s intellectual property and promotes collaborations between NUS and industry. For more information, please visit: www.nus.edu.sg.

About the Graphene Research Centre (GRC) at NUS Faculty of Science

Established in 2010 within the National University of Singapore’s Faculty of Science under leadership of Professor Antonio H. Castro Neto, the Graphene Research Centre (GRC) was created for the conception, characterisation, theoretical modeling, and development of transformative technologies based on two-dimensional crystals, such as graphene.

Aiming at being a world leader in innovative and emergent materials science, with strong ties to the industry and academia, the GRC will directly contribute to a new generation of scientists and engineers who will have a permanent impact in the society and business enterprise landscape of Singapore. GRC is funded by NUS and the National Research Foundation (NRF) of Singapore and hosts 30 researchers from different disciplines and is considered one of the most important centres of research in the world.

For more information visit: http://graphene.nus.edu.sg/

About BASF

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Through science and innovation, we enable our customers in nearly every industry to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring nutrition and improving quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF had sales of €72.1 billion in 2012 and more than 110,000 employees as of the end of the year. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.

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