Tag Archives: Graphene Energy Storage Devices (Graphene ESD)

Lomiko Metals, Graphene ESD, and supercapacitors

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My hats off to Lomiko Metals for its publicity efforts. The company cranks out at least three news releases per month and that’s a lot of work for a small company. The Feb. 23, 2015 news release (also a Feb. 24, 2015 news item on Azonano) announces a newish research relationship and a new position for Lomiko Metal’s Chief Esecutive Officer (CEO), A. Paul Gill,

Lomiko Metals Inc. is pleased to announce Graphene Energy Storage Devices Corp. has signed a research agreement with the Research Foundation of Stony Brook University (SBU). Graphene ESD Corp. will partner with the SBU Center for Advanced Sensor Technologies (Sensor CAT) to develop new supercapacitors designs for energy storage. Lomiko Metals Inc. currently owns a 40% stake in Graphene ESD and Mr. A. Paul Gill, CEO of Lomiko, is now appointed a Director of Graphene ESD.

…

“This agreement is a significant step in expanding collaboration between industry and academia in the furtherance of our Center’s mission to create high-tech jobs in New York,” stated Peter Shkolnikov, Deputy Director of the Sensor CAT. “Energy storage is a rapidly growing field, with SBU is on the forefront of electrochemical energy storage research”.
Initially, Graphene ESD Corp. will provide $50,000 in cash funding to the SUNY Research Foundation which will host research at its Sensor CAT facilities on SBU campus in Stony Brook, NY.

I last mentioned Graphene ESD (Graphene Energy Storage Devices) in a Dec. 5, 2014 posting  when Lomiko announced it was investing in the venture.

As for Lomiko’s publicity efforts, there’s this intriguing Feb. 1, 2015 news release (Note: Links have been removed),

European Union 5 Billion Euro Graphene Research Fund Goliath Moves to Commercialization Efforts While Lomiko Efforts Start to Bear Fruit

Lomiko (“Lomiko”) (TSX-V:LMR, OTC:LMRMF, FSE:DH8B) is raising the alarm regarding Canada’s lacklustre efforts to capitalize on new manufacturing and nanotechnology opportunities while concentrating on the oil industry.

“In twenty years the effect of graphene and 3D printing on society will be amazing, very much like the impact of plastics in the sixties and computers in the eighties. I hope that Canadian finance and government institutions recognize the opportunity for Canada to establish a competitive advantage,” stated A. Paul Gill, CEO. “The EU has put 5 Billion euros into graphene research while most Canadians don’t even know about this Nobel-prize winning material.”

Mr. Gill was recently interview by Business Television regarding Lomiko’s efforts in the field. View the 90 second video clip by clicking here.

Lomiko has been working for two years on graphene commercialization efforts. Partnered with Graphene Labs, Lomiko has launched two ventures in the graphene field. On January 5, 2015 Lomiko announced a summary of its activity in 2014 and 2015 plans to spin-off two new technology companies after the successful launch of Graphene 3D Lab, a company foc used on developing 3D Printing hardware and materials. Lomiko continues to hold 4,396,916 shares or 10.43% of Graphene 3D Lab, 40% of newly formed Graphene Energy Storage Devices (Graphene ESD) and 100% of Lomiko Technologies Inc.

While mention of the European Union’s Graphene Flagship (funding of 1B Euros over 10 years) in contrast with the Canadian scene’s lack of major initiatives in this area seems unexceptionable, it’s a bit unusual to make so much fuss of a funding entity with which you have no relationship (from the Feb. 1, 2015 news release; Note: Links have been removed),

EU FUND – Graphene Flagship

The Graphene Flagship’s overriding goal is to take graphene, related layered materials and hybrid systems from a state of raw potential to a point where they can revolutionize multiple industries. This may bring a new dimension to future technology and put Europe at the heart of the process, with a manifold return on the investment as technological innovation, economic exploitation and societal benefits.

This requires the focus of the Flagship to evolve over the years, placing more resources in areas where this transition is more likely. To accomplish this the Graphene Flagship is looking for new industrial partners that bring in specific industrial and technology transfer competences or capabilities that complement the present consortium. Regarding what nations are eligible to apply, the European Commission (EC) rules are found here.

The selected new partners will be incorporated in the scientific and technological work packages of the core project under the Horizon 2020 phase of the Flagship that is presently being planned and that will run during 1 April 2016 – 31 March 2018.

While Gill’s point is well taken, lately there seems to be more action than usual on the Canadian graphene scene.

Investment in graphene (Grafoid), the Canadian government, and a 2015 federal election (Feb. 23, 2015)

NanoXplore: graphene and graphite in Québec (Canada) (Feb. 20, 2015)

For anyone who’d like to peruse Lomiko Metals’ news releases, go here.

Canadian nano: Lomiko Metals and its graphene supercapacitor project and NanoTech Security at a TEDx in Vancouver (Canada)

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As best I can determine Lomiko Metals is involved in a graphene-based supercapacitor project with at least two interlocking pieces. Piece one is described in an Oct. 28, 2014 news item on Azonano,

Lomiko Metals Inc. and its 100% owned subsidiary Lomiko Technologies Inc. are pleased to announce an agreement to license from Megahertz Power Systems Ltd. rights to manufacture and sell three (3) power converter system designs, acquire a pending supply contract with a Canadian LED system integrator and support the research and development of new products.

“The Power Converter Market is a multi-billion dollar market. With the increasing demand for energy-efficient electronic devices, the advent of re-chargeable batteries and the new market for quick-charge supercapacitors, Lomiko has the opportunity to move into a growing market with a profitable business model.”, stated A. Paul Gill, CEO. [emphasis mine]

Lomiko will establish cash-flow under the current Customer Contract within six months which is based on proven and in-demand devices designed by MegaHertz. The creation of an e-commerce site in three to four (3-4) months will increase the customer base for the Licensed Power Systems over the estimated five (5) year product cycle. In the long term, Lomiko and MegaHertz will work on innovative new designs that power products using graphite and graphene based devices to dramatically raise operating efficiencies and help reduce the energy waste for the Electronic equipment, Energy Storage and Automotive Industries worldwide. [emphasis mine]

You can read more about the details in the Azonano news item or in the Lomiko Metals Oct. 27, 2014 news release.

As for piece two, Lomiko Metals has announced a supecapacitor project which would seem to align with the objectives mentioned in the October 2014 MegaHertz deal “… Lomiko and MegaHertz will work on innovative new designs that power products using graphite and graphene based devices to dramatically raise operating efficiencies and help reduce the energy waste … .” From a Dec. 4, 2014 news item on Azonano,

Lomiko Metals Inc. is very pleased to announce it has signed an agreement to invest in a new graphene-related venture, Graphene Energy Storage Devices (Graphene ESD Corp.), a U.S. Corporation.

On December 4, 2013, Lomiko reported on a successful conclusion to Phase I of its Graphene Supercapacitor Project which involved Graphene Laboratories Inc. and Stony Brook University. Graphene ESD Corp. has been formed to commercialize the technology and bring the graphene-based energy storage devices to market.

Supercapacitors bridge the gap between conventional capacitors and rechargeable batteries. They store the most energy per unit volume or mass (energy density) among capacitors. Supercapacitors power density is generally 10 to 100 times greater than normal capacitors or batteries. This results in much shorter charge/discharge cycles than batteries. Additionally, they will tolerate many more charge and discharge cycles than batteries. Incorporation of graphene material in supercapacitor electrodes may further improve energy and power density of the device. Graphene ESD Corp. will develop low-cost graphene-based supercapacitor devices that will be capable of even higher discharge currents. The development will focus on large-scale devices that are projected to have the lowest cost of power and stored energy in its class.

“As reported December 4, 2013, the Phase I Graphene Supercapacitor project yielded encouraging results. Graphene ESD Corp. will build on the success of this project and will be developing a graphene-based supercapacitor. [emphasis mine] The device is designed as a versatile energy storage solution for electronics, electric vehicles and electric grid.” stated A. Paul Gill, CEO of Lomiko Metals Inc. [emphasis mine] Graphene is finding new application in sensors, electronics, and advanced materials. Energy storage is a rapidly developing field which can benefit from the outstanding properties of graphene. We believe that graphene-based devices will deliver the best value for multiple energy storage applications.”

You can find more details both in the Azonano news item and in the Lomiko Metals Dec. 3, 2014 news release.

The second half of this post’s headline concerns a talk by Clint Landrock, Executive Vice President of Products for NanoTech Security Corp. and more, at the Renfrew-Collingwood (a neighbourhood in Vancouver, Canada) TEDx. From an Oct. 29, 2014 news item on Azonano,

Nanotech Security Corp. today announced that Vice President Clint Landrock presented at TEDxRenfrewCollingwood. The independently organized TED event was held on October 24, 2014.

The day-long event brought together more than 400 creators, catalysis, designers and thinkers from the Vancouver area to share ideas around the theme “Rock, Paper, Scissors.” Landrock presented on the influence of nature on innovation in technology, using Nanotech’s story as one example of what can be achieved when companies turn to nature as a source of inspiration. …

Landrock’s talk (a little over 11 mins. running time) has now been posted on YouTube or you can find it here. The organizers have posted this description of Landrock,

Clint serves as the Executive Vice President of Products for NanoTech Security Corp., and is a co-founder of IDME Technologies Corp.  He is an expert in the study of nano-optics and biomimicry. Clint currently holds several patents and over a dozen peer-reviewed publications in the field. He completed his bachelor degree in aerospace engineering at Ryerson Polytechnic University in Toronto, and his Masters of Applied Sciences at Simon Fraser University. Clint’s interests include commercial applications of nanotechnology and smart polymers, biomimicry, alpine and rock climbing and generally being outside.

I haven’t watched the talk in its entirety but he starts with the wonder and the dark side of technology. As his company, NanoTech Security, is a spin-off from Simon Fraser University and the technology is based on the nanostructures found on the Blue Morpho butterfly’s wing, I imagine the rest of his talk consists of biomimcry and ways of imitating nature as a means of dealing with the damaging aspects resulting from some of our current technologies.