Flash graphene process turns ‘trash into treasure’

The advance from the Rice University lab of James Tour can reportedly convert a ton of coal, food waste or plastic into graphene for a fraction of the cost used by other bulk graphene-producing methods.

"This is a big deal," Tour said in a statement. "The world throws out 30 per cent to 40 per cent of all food, because it goes bad, and plastic waste is of worldwide concern. We've already proven that any solid carbon-based matter, including mixed plastic waste and rubber tyres, can be turned into graphene." The research is published in Nature.

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"With the present commercial price of graphene being $67,000 to $200,000 per ton, the prospects for this process look superb," he said, adding that 0.1 per cent of flash graphene in the cement used to bind concrete could lessen its environmental impact by a third.