Graphene firm working on hi-tech false teeth

PIONEERING graphene firm 2-DTech has revealed more detail of its project to develop false teeth using the new material.

Earlier this month the company secured £80,000 from InnovateUK, formerly known as the Technology Strategy Board, to create graphene reinforced polymers for dental implants with Liverpool firm Evodental.

The company is one of the first in the world to produce graphene, the super-light, super-strong material discovered by Manchester’s Nobel prize winning scientists Professors Andre Geim and Kostya Novoselov.

It is expected to have wide ranging implications for industry and has been linked to a new generation of aircraft and big changes to computer, TV and phone screens.

Yesterday, managing director Dr Nigel Salter told TheBusinessDesk.com the plan was to modify the peek polymer, manufactured by Thornton Cleveleys-based Victrex, to make it stronger and better match the bone it is attached to in the dental implant process.

He said: “The graphene will enable them to make the peek frame thinner and alleviate the pain that can be felt from a hot drink by matching the thermal expansion.”

2-DTech is not yet working directly with Victrex but will approach the group if there is potential to scale up the innovation. At present the company is only producing small amounts of the material which is relatively cheap to make and sells for about £100 a litre. There are four recognised methods of production and 2-DTech has licences to use three of them – chemical exfoliation, shearing and chemical bath deposition. All involve taking a very thin layer of graphite.

“If you find an application like graphene in peek, and it makes sense and there’s demand, there would be a lot more emphasis on ramping up production,” said Dr Salter. “The issue is generating the demand and supply at the same rate.”

He added: “Potential customers say, ‘We’re excited but we don’t know how to use it. We’re looking for materials that are well understood and the way to apply them is well known’. There’s a real buzz and enthusiasm to use graphene and get it out there, it’s just a question of how.”

2-DTech, originally a university spin-out, was acquired for £440,000 in May by materials manufacturing business Versarien, which has a base in Liverpool. The university still holds a 15% stake.

It is also exploring the potential for graphene use in inks, sensors and batteries. It also has a solar cell project with Australian firm Dyesol which has a research base in Manchester.

Close