We are glad to inform you that Gratex has settled a number of bureaucratic formalities for paying tax duties in some regions. Starting from 06/07/2021, the company makes payments for all tax payments in the following regions: Belgium, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Poland, Russia, Romania.
Best regards, Gratex team.

Trane Technologies launches graphene-enhanced air purification system for public buses
Trane Technologies’ Thermo King brand has launched a new graphene-based air purification solution for buses that continuously purifies the air while the bus is in operation.
Thermo King says its Air Purification Solution has been independently tested and proven to be 98 percent effective in deactivating certain viruses, including a surrogate for the virus that causes COVID-19.
Thermo King’s exclusive Air Purification Solution is integrated in the bus heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit. The solution leverages a filter, paired with a cleaning technology, to capture and deactivate certain viruses like the virus that causes COVID-19, bacteria and volatile organic compounds as the air is exchanged. It was reportedly tested extensively by an independent laboratory following guidelines of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“Our public transit customers understand that riders may feel apprehensive about getting back into their normal routines and taking public transportation,” said Karin De Bondt, president of Thermo King Americas. “Customers and consumers face a wide range of claims in the market regarding air purification. We offer a proven solution, tested and validated by third party experts, that provides safer, healthier air quality for drivers and passengers while in transit.”
“Public bus transit is a major driver of economic stability in cities across the U.S., with millions of people who rely on it every day,” said De Bondt. “As passengers feel confident about resuming public transport, they will have greater access to jobs and schools, supporting economic mobility across socio-economic groups. Resumption of public transport also lowers the carbon footprint, supporting more sustainable cities.”
Thermo King’s Air Purification Solution:

Graphene 'smart surfaces' display a wide range of tunability
Researchers at The University of Manchester’s National Graphene Institute have created optical devices with a unique range of tunability, covering the entire electromagnetic spectrum, including visible light.

Multispectral graphene-based electro-optical surfaces image

The new study lists the possible applications for this ‘smart surface’ technology, that range from next-generation display devices to dynamic thermal blankets for satellites and multi-spectral adaptive camouflage.

The devices’ tunability is achieved by a process known as electro-intercalation, which in this case involves lithium ions being interposed between sheets of multilayer graphene (MLG), offering control over electrical, thermal and magnetic properties.

The MLG device is laminated and vacuum-sealed in a low-density polyethylene pouch that has over 90% optical transparency from visible light to microwave radiation.

During charge (intercalation) or discharge (de-intercalation), the electrical and optical properties of MLG change dramatically. The discharged device appears dark grey owing to the high absorptivity (>80%) of the top graphene layer in the visible regime. When the device is fully charged (at ~3.8V), the graphene layer appears gold in color. The achievable color space can be enriched to include a range from red to blue using optical effects such as thin-film interference.

Professor Coskun Kocabas, lead author of the study, said: “We have fabricated a new class of multispectral optical devices with previously unachievable color-changing ability by merging graphene and battery technology.

“The successful demonstration of graphene-based smart optical surfaces enables potential advances in many scientific and engineering fields.”

Previous studies have examined devices at specific wavelength ranges of microwave, terahertz, infrared and visible, using single and multilayer graphene. But it was the challenge of extending coverage to visible light while maintain optical activity at longer wavelength that required innovation in the structure of the device, overcoming established difficulties in the integration of optical devices with electrochemical cells.

“Here we used a graphene-based lithium-ion battery as an optical device,” he added. “By controlling the electron density of the graphene, we are now able control light from visible to microwave wavelengths on the same device.”

Nobel laureate Professor Sir Kostya Novoselov was a co-author on the paper and said: “Few-layer graphene offers unprecedented control over its optical properties through charging. Such devices can find their applications in many areas: from adaptive optics to thermal management.”

Graphene masks deemed "potential health hazard" by Canadian authorities
Despite the surge of graphene-enhanced face masks that's been evident lately, government authorities like Health Canada recently issued warnings on the use of such graphene masks, cautioning against "a potential that wearers could inhale graphene particles from some masks, which may pose health risks."

This potential threat is followed by the directive to not use these face masks, and Health Canada, for one, is advising Canadians not to use face masks that contain graphene at all. A recent PR stated: "Until the Department completes a thorough scientific assessment and has established the safety and effectiveness of graphene-containing face masks, it is taking the precautionary approach of removing them from the market while continuing to gather and assess information. Health Canada has directed all known distributors, importers and manufacturers to stop selling and to recall the affected products. Additionally, Health Canada has written to provinces and territories advising them to stop distribution and use of masks containing graphene. The Department will continue to take appropriate action to stop the import and sale of graphene face masks".

According to our knowledge, the health concerns regarding graphene masks started when a specific (undisclosed) brand made wearers feel unwell - so it is not established if the problem is with all graphene masks or just that brand. However - it could be wise to follow directions and stop using these masks until the matter is cleared.

newswire.ca

POSCO leads creation of graphene ecosystem to meet growing demand
SEOUL -- South Korea's top steel group POSCO will lead the creation of a graphene ecosystem in the southeastern industry port of Pohang in cooperation with research groups and Graphene Square, a high-tech startup, to meet the growing demand in the fields of semiconductors, electronics, electric batteries and composites.

POSCO said it has signed a business agreement with Pohang City, the Research Institute of Industrial Science & Technology (RIST), Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), and Graphene Square, which is developing systems for the mass production of large-scale graphene synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), an effective way to produce high-quality graphene on a fairly large scale.

RIST supports engineering to build mass-production facilities. POSTECH supports the analysis of graphene-applied products. The National Institute for Nanomaterials Technology standardizes international authentication methods for graphenes and applied products. Graphene Square will establish a demonstration plant for the production of prototypes.

Graphene is a crystalline allotrope of carbon with two-dimensional properties. The single, thin layer of graphite is a transparent and flexible conductor that holds great promise for various material and device applications, including solar cells, light-emitting diodes, touch panels and smart windows or phones. Graphene can be chemically processed into various forms.

In May 2020, the state-run Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT) opened the way for the mass-production of high-quality industrial graphene, an atomic-scale honeycomb lattice of carbon atoms, in powder form without treating graphite as a strong acid.

Scientists have tried to develop reliable, cost-effective and facile processes for the fabrication of graphene electrodes with good performance. In 2017, Samsung's research wing developed a "graphene ball" that would help batteries charge faster than lithium-ion batteries.