PEGASUS · Project

Plasma-Based Method to Produce Graphene Materials Faster and Without Toxic Chemicals

manufacturingPrototypeTRL 4Thin data (2/5)

ipfn.tecnico.ulisboa.pt

Graphene is a super-thin carbon material that's incredibly strong and conducts electricity brilliantly — but making it today is slow, expensive, and often uses nasty chemicals. PEGASUS figured out how to use plasma (think: a controlled lightning bolt) to build graphene and graphene-based composites directly, skipping many of the usual messy steps. They also created proof-of-concept devices including supercapacitors — basically ultra-fast-charging energy storage. The whole idea is to replace today's multi-step, chemical-heavy production with a cleaner, one-shot plasma process.

By the numbers

consortium partners across 5 countries

total project deliverables produced

industry partner in the consortium

demo deliverable: fabrication protocol for composites

The business problem

What needed solving

Producing graphene and graphene-based composites today is slow, expensive, and typically requires multiple chemical processing steps along with toxic catalysts. This makes it hard for manufacturers to use graphene materials at any meaningful scale, even though graphene's properties — extreme strength, high conductivity, massive surface area — could transform products from supercapacitors to biosensors. Companies need a cleaner, faster, more controllable way to make these materials.

The solution

What was built

The project built a proof-of-concept PEGASUS device for direct plasma synthesis of nitrogen-doped graphene and graphene composites (with MnO2, Fe2O3, SnO2). They delivered a fabrication protocol for NG/MO and GMOP composites, and demonstrated proof-of-concept supercapacitor devices as an application showcase.

Audience

Who needs this

Supercapacitor and ultracapacitor manufacturers looking for better electrode materialsAdvanced coatings companies depositing functional layers on metal substratesBiosensor and electrochemical sensor developers needing high-performance electrode materialsGraphene producers seeking cleaner and faster synthesis methodsElectronics companies exploring nanostructured materials for energy storage components

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Energy Storage

mid-size

Target: Supercapacitor and battery component manufacturers

If you are a supercapacitor manufacturer struggling with expensive electrode materials and slow production cycles — this project developed a plasma-based method for directly synthesizing nitrogen-doped graphene composites with MnO2, Fe2O3, and SnO2 that can serve as high-performance electrode materials. They delivered a proof-of-concept supercapacitor device and a fabrication protocol for these composites, potentially cutting your material preparation from multiple chemical steps to a single plasma process.

Advanced Materials & Coatings

SME

Target: Companies producing functional coatings or nanostructured surfaces

If you are a coatings company looking for ways to deposit graphene-based layers on metal substrates without complex chemical treatments — this project created vertical nitrogen-doped graphene arrays grown directly on metal substrates using plasma. The process is catalyst-free and eliminates harmful chemicals, which means fewer regulatory headaches and lower waste disposal costs for your production line.

Biosensor Manufacturing

SME

Target: Companies developing electrochemical sensors or diagnostic devices

If you are a biosensor developer needing high-surface-area electrode materials with controlled properties — this project produced nitrogen-doped graphene and nanocomposites with tuneable composition using plasma assembly. Their fabrication protocol for NG/MO and GMOP composites could give you a reproducible, scalable route to electrode materials with the sensitivity and selectivity your sensors need.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to adopt this plasma-based graphene production?

The project data does not include specific production cost figures. However, the method is designed to replace multi-step chemical synthesis routes with a single plasma process, which should reduce both chemical input costs and processing time. A cost assessment would need to come from direct engagement with the consortium.

Can this scale to industrial production volumes?

The project delivered a proof-of-concept PEGASUS device aimed at large-scale N-graphene direct synthesis. However, as a FET Open research project, this is still at the proof-of-concept stage. Scaling from lab device to full production line would require further engineering and investment.

What is the IP situation — can I license this technology?

The consortium of 7 partners across 5 countries developed this under an EU Research and Innovation Action. IP ownership typically sits with the partners who generated it. You would need to contact the coordinator at IST-ID in Portugal to discuss licensing terms for the plasma synthesis method and the fabrication protocols.

How does this compare to existing graphene production methods like CVD?

Conventional methods like chemical vapor deposition (CVD) require catalysts, multiple processing steps, and often involve harmful chemicals. PEGASUS developed a catalyst-free, single-step plasma method that also enables direct growth on metal substrates. Based on the project objectives, this should mean fewer steps, less waste, and more control at the atomic scale.

What concrete outputs came from this project?

The project produced 7 deliverables in total, including a demonstrated fabrication protocol for NG/MO and GMOP composites. They also built a proof-of-concept PEGASUS device for graphene synthesis and proof-of-concept supercapacitor devices as application demonstrators.

Is this technology compliant with EU environmental regulations?

The process is explicitly designed to be catalyst-free and to eliminate harmful chemicals, which the project describes as a 'green' assembly method. This positions it well for REACH compliance and aligns with EU manufacturing sustainability goals, though specific regulatory certifications would still need to be obtained.

Consortium

Who built it

The PEGASUS consortium has 7 partners spread across 5 European countries (Bulgaria, Germany, France, Portugal, Slovenia), giving it broad geographic coverage. However, the industry ratio is low at just 14% — only 1 industry partner and 1 SME — with the remaining 6 partners being universities and research organizations. This is typical for FET Open projects that focus on breakthrough science rather than near-market development. For a business looking to adopt this technology, the academic-heavy consortium means strong scientific depth but you would likely need to invest in bridging the gap from lab results to your production environment. The coordinator is IST-ID in Portugal, a well-established technical university association.

IST-ID ASSOCIACAO DO INSTITUTO SUPERIOR TECNICO PARA A INVESTIGACAO E O DESENVOLVIMENTOCoordinator · PT
CHARGE2C-NEWCAP LDAparticipant · PT
INSTITUT JOZEF STEFANparticipant · SI
SOFIA UNIVERSITY ST KLIMENT OHRIDSKIparticipant · BG
CHRISTIAN-ALBRECHTS-UNIVERSITAET ZU KIELparticipant · DE
UNIVERSITE D'ORLEANSthirdparty · FR
CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRSparticipant · FR

How to reach the team

The coordinator is IST-ID Associacao do Instituto Superior Tecnico in Lisbon, Portugal. SciTransfer can help identify and connect you with the right person on the research team.

Order a report on this consortium See IST-ID ASSOCIACAO DO INSTITUTO SUPERIOR TECNICO PARA A INVESTIGACAO E O DESENVOLVIMENTO profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing this plasma graphene technology or discuss how it fits your production needs? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the PEGASUS research team and help you evaluate the commercial potential.

Order a report on this topic More in Manufacturing & Industry 4.0