Michelle Ntola | iGii (Integrated Graphene): How do we detect lead in water down to 3.5 parts per billion without toxic mercury coatings?
00:11:13 - 00:12:52
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Summary of the clip:
How do we detect lead in water down to 3.5 parts per billion without toxic mercury coatings?
Heavy metal electrochemical sensors traditionally rely on toxic mercury coatings to facilitate the reduction and stripping of metal ions. By replacing these legacy materials with an engineered 3D nanocarbon (Gii) working electrode, sensing devices can achieve ultra-low limits of detection safely. Integrated into an interdigitated electrode (IDE) platform with built-in reference and counter electrodes, Gii acts as an exceptional electron-transfer scaffold.
This sensor achieves a lead (Pb) limit of detection of just 3.5 parts per billion (ppb) and a limit of quantification of 5.0 ppb. This performance easily meets the current World Health Organization limit of 10 ppb for drinking water, as well as the strict upcoming 2036 European regulatory threshold of 5 ppb.
The combination of high surface area, fast electron kinetics, and the binder-free nature of grown Gii eliminates diffusion limitations. This allows the system to return highly accurate, quantifiable heavy metal concentration readouts within five minutes, presenting a clean, fast, and regulatory-ready solution for environmental monitoring.
In this short video, you can learn:
* How Gii-based interdigitated electrodes eliminate the need for hazardous mercury coatings in heavy metal sensing.
* The electrochemistry enabling a lead detection limit of 3.5 ppb in under five minutes.
* How the 3D nanocarbon platform aligns with the upcoming European regulatory transition down to 5 ppb.
π **Clip Abstract** This clip details a portable lead detector in water utilizing a Gii-functionalized interdigitated electrode. The system achieves a 3.5 ppb limit of detection without toxic mercury coatings, providing an environmentally safe, fast-response solution that matches upcoming strict EU standards.
π Link in comments π
#3DNanocarbon, #InterdigitatedElectrodes, #ElectrochemicalSensing, #HeavyMetalSensing, #EnvironmentalMonitoring, #PrintedElectronics
This is a highlight of the presentation:
Future of Electronics RESHAPED USA 2026
Computer History Museum, Mountain View, California, USA
Organised By:
TechBlick
More Highlights from the same talk.
00:04:00 - 00:05:42
Can we integrate 3D nanocarbons directly onto silicon and metal foils without binders?
How can a three-dimensionally assembled carbon nanomaterial redefine the boundaries of electrochemical sensing and thermal management?
The unique structural morphology of G, a three-dimensionally assembled carbon nanomaterial, yields an exceptional specific surface area ranging from 300 to 400 square meters per gram. This high active surface area, combined with its ultra-lightweight nature and high electrical conductivity, makes it an ideal electrode platform for advanced electrochemical applications. Furthermore, its inherent thermal conductivity opens up critical pathways for integration into high-performance thermal management systems.
For biochemical and environmental diagnostics, G offers distinct surface chemistry advantages, notably an intrinsic resistance to biofouling that preserves active sites during biosensor operation. The material exhibits robust chemical inertness and corrosion resistance, demonstrating stability up to pH 10. Crucially, this upper pH limit is dictated by the physical constraints of the underlying substrate rather than any chemical degradation of the G material itself.
While G has conventionally been synthesized on polyimide substrates, recent engineering breakthroughs have unlocked direct-growth capabilities on a diverse range of alternative substrates. This eliminates complex transfer steps, streamlining integration into existing manufacturing lines and device architectures. This customizable substrate compatibility allows developers to tailor the mechanical and chemical properties of the base material to their specific application requirements.
In this short video, you can learn:
* How the 3D assembly and high surface area of G enhance electrical and thermal performance.
* Why the chemical inertness and biofouling resistance of G optimize biosensor stability.
* How direct-growth capabilities on diverse substrates simplify system integration.
π **Clip Abstract** The speaker outlines the core physical, electrical, and chemical properties of G, highlighting its high surface area, thermal conductivity, and resistance to biofouling and corrosion. She then announces a new capability to grow G directly onto a variety of substrates beyond the standard polyimide, facilitating easier integration into diverse systems.
π€ Speaker: Michelle Ntola
π’ Company: iGii (Integrated Graphene)
π
Event: Future of Electronics RESHAPED USA 2026
π Location: Computer History Museum, Mountain View, California, USA
π Learn more at the next TechBlick event: https://www.techblick.com
#3DNanocarbon, #BinderFreeGrowth, #TransferFreeGraphene, #DirectGrowthOnSilicon, #ElectrochemicalBiosensors, #FlexibleElectronics
00:45.815 - 02:08.175
How can a 3D carbon foam achieve 4x the electroactive surface area of a flat electrode while also resisting biofouling in physiological fluids?
How can a 3D carbon foam achieve 4x the electroactive surface area of a flat electrode while also resisting biofouling in physiological fluids?
The core advantage of Integrated Graphene's G-material lies in its engineered 3D carbon foam structure. This morphology provides an exceptionally high surface area, which is critical for electrochemical applications. For sensors, this translates to a specific electroactive surface area up to four times the geometric area of the electrode, enabling significant device miniaturization without sacrificing, and often increasing, sensitivity.
Beyond its structure, the material boasts impressive intrinsic properties. It offers good electrical conductivity with a measured sheet resistance of just 5 to 10 ohms per square, essential for efficient electronic devices. Furthermore, it exhibits excellent thermal conductivity of over 3.8 watts per millikelvin, opening up possibilities in thermal management, alongside a stable positive temperature coefficient of resistance.
Crucially for in-vivo or diagnostic applications, the material demonstrates remarkable chemical stability and bio-resistance. It is chemically stable across a wide pH range from 0 to 10, with this limit being set by the substrate rather than the carbon material itself. Most importantly, it is highly resistant to biofouling, showing insignificant loss in performance after 30 minutes of direct exposure to various physiological fluids, a key differentiator for reliable biosensing.
In this short video, you can learn:
* The concept of electroactive surface area and its importance for sensor miniaturization.
* Key electrical, thermal, and chemical stability metrics of the G-material.
* The material's inherent resistance to biofouling, a critical advantage for in-vitro diagnostics.
π **Clip Abstract** Discover the core technical properties of Integrated Graphene's G-material, a binder-free 3D carbon foam. This clip details its high electroactive surface area, electrical and thermal conductivity, and exceptional resistance to biofouling.
π Link in comments π
#3DCarbonFoam, #ElectroactiveSurfaceArea, #BiofoulingResistance, #ElectrochemicalSensors, #PrintedElectronics, #BiosensingTechnology
00:06:08 - 00:08:26
Can a flexible nanocarbon micro-heater hit 400Β°C in just six seconds without hotspots?
Can pure, binder-free graphene micro-heaters resolve the thermal lag and hotspot degradation typical of conventional flexible heating elements?
Flexible thermal management systems frequently struggle with slow thermal response times and localized hotspots, which degrade both the substrate and the heating element. By utilizing Gβa pure, binder-free graphene materialβdesigners can bypass the thermal limitations imposed by organic additives. The absence of binders ensures exceptional material stability at elevated temperatures, enabling a highly uniform thermal distribution across the entire active area without the risk of localized thermal runaway.
The intrinsic material properties of this graphene platform translate directly into superior thermodynamic performance, characterized by an exceptionally low thermal time constant. The material achieves rapid electrothermal transduction, reaching over 60% of its target temperature in approximately 1.5 seconds and climbing to peak temperatures in under six seconds. This rapid-response capability is paired with a highly customizable fabrication process, allowing the conductive heating geometry to be tailored to complex, application-specific form factors.
The ultimate thermal threshold of these flexible micro-heaters is dictated not by the graphene itself, but by the mechanical and thermal limits of the supporting carrier. When integrated onto standard polyimide substrates, the system supports high-temperature operation up to the glass transition limit of the polymer. For continuous operation, this establishes a safe limit of 360 degrees Celsius, though the system can safely tolerate transient spikes exceeding 400 degrees Celsius for short-duration cycles.
In this short video, you can learn:
* How the absence of binders and additives in G material prevents hotspot formation and ensures thermal stability.
* The transient thermal performance metrics of graphene micro-heaters, including response times and thermal time constants.
* How substrate selection, such as polyimide, defines the continuous and short-term operating temperature limits of flexible heaters.
π **Clip Abstract** The speaker introduces the application of G in micro-heaters, highlighting its rapid thermal response, high temperature uniformity, and customizable design. Technical performance limits are detailed, explaining how the polyimide substrate defines the maximum continuous operating temperature of 360 degrees Celsius and short-term limits above 400 degrees Celsius.
π€ Speaker: Michelle Ntola
π’ Company: iGii (Integrated Graphene)
π
Event: Future of Electronics RESHAPED USA 2026
π Location: Computer History Museum, Mountain View, California, USA
π Learn more at the next TechBlick event: https://www.techblick.com
#3DNanocarbon, #FlexibleMicroheaters, #NegativeTemperatureCoefficient, #ElectrothermalDynamics, #FlexibleElectronics, #Microfluidics