Objective
The overall objective of the GrapheneSens project is to develop novel graphene enabled contact position sensors for applications in automotive sectors, home appliances (white goods) and other relevant areas. The market size in the automotive sector alone for global position sensor is worth US$3.89 billion.
One of the main disadvantages of existing contact position sensors technology is poor wear characteristics (leading to reduced sensor reliability, drift over lifetime) and limited sensor accuracy (surface roughness leading to noise). We have found that graphene is ideal to use in these sensors because of its tribological properties which relates to wear and barrier properties.
To utilise graphene in these sensors, we combine the unique benefits of graphene to develop graphene based nano-composite coatings to obtain high wear and barrier properties: wear resistance combined with tailored resistivities; wear resistance combined with high conductivities and wear resistance combined with oxygen barrier. Each coating developed through modification of the same graphene ‘base ink’ formulation thereby maximising similarities between the coatings and thus improved wear performance.
The potentiometer and the encoder sensors are developed by printing graphene based nano-composite ink using screen printing technology while wiper unit is developed by using Aerosol Assisted Ion Deposition (AAID) technology.
The graphene enabled contact potentiometer sensors will be highly durable (life cycle>4million), high linearity (<0.5%) and 22% cheaper and the encoder sensor have a track life > 100 k cycles, accuracy of 40+ pulse with better barrier properties to prevent oxidation and 18% cheaper.
We expect to achieve annual sales revenue and profit of €38.53 million and €14.51 million respectively by 2023 with post project 5 year and return on investment (ROI) of 480%.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologynanotechnologynano-materialstwo-dimensional nanostructuresgraphene
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringautomotive engineering
- engineering and technologymaterials engineeringcoating and films
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensors
- engineering and technologymaterials engineeringnanocomposites
Programme(s)
- H2020-EU.2.1.2. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies – Nanotechnologies Main Programme
- H2020-EU.2.1.5. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies - Advanced manufacturing and processing
- H2020-EU.2.1.3. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies - Advanced materials
- H2020-EU.2.3.1. - Mainstreaming SME support, especially through a dedicated instrument
Funding Scheme
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinator
SN5 5WB Swindon
United Kingdom
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.