Laser processing turns ordinary marker ink into conductive graphene

Imagine drawing an electronic circuit with a marker pen, then transforming it into a functioning sensor with a laser. This capability, once considered impractical, has now been demonstrated through an innovative process developed by scientists at Graz University of Technology and Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna. Their research, rpoerted in Advanced Science ("Laser-Induced Graphene from Commercial Inks and Dyes"), reveals that certain common dyes—found in standard marker pens—can be converted into laser-induced graphene (LIG), a conductive carbon material with promising applications in flexible electronics and sensors.