XG Sciences - Page 3

Michigen based XG Sciences uses Michigan State University developed technology to develop and produce Graphene Nanoplatelets, or xGnPs. Those short stacks of graphene sheets made through a proprietary manufacturing process can be used to replace carbon nanotubes - at a lower cost.

Michael Knox, the company's co-founder and CEO was kind enough to answer a few questions we had. During the previous 25 years, Mr. Knox has been involved in a number of different businesses as an owner or an officer. Mr. Knox has a BA in Economics and an MBA in Finance from the University of Minnesota.

XG Sciences, one of the few companies in the world that offer xGnPs (Graphene Nanoplatelets, short stacks of graphene sheets made through a proprietary manufacturing process), say they have over 600 customers - in the automotive, electronics, battery and aerospace industries. The most active companies are Asian electronics and battery makers.

The company says they generated $4 million in revenue in 2012. Not all of this are product sales (for example they have a license agreement with Cabot Corporation, signed in 2011) - but it's still impressive considering that Lux Research estimates that the entire graphene market was just $9 million in 2012.

XG Sciences launched a new graphene-based anode materials for Li-Ion batteries that has four times the capacity of conventional anodes. The new anode materials use the XG's xGnP graphene nanoplatelets to stabilize silicon particles in a nano-engineered composite structure and are made using the company's proprietary manufacturing processes. The new material is available today at commercial scale with an "attractive pricing".

XGS has demonstrated capacity of 1500 mAh/g with low irreversible capacity loss and stable cycling performance in life tests. They expect initial adoption in the consumer electronics markets - by Asian battery makers. But XGS also works with R&D partners that are focused on hybrid and electric vehicles, grid storage, military, and specialty industrial applications.

Cabot Corporation launched the LITX G700, the company's first graphene-based additive for high energy density lithium-ion batteries. They say that this additive will allow L-Ion battery makers to achieve superior cell performance.

Cabot explains that the LITX G700 conductive additive is designed for use in electric vehicle and high-end consumer electronics in which better driving range and longer run times are critical performance features. This new additive is designed to deliver the conductivity needed to achieve very high energy densities in lithium-ion batteries at ultra-low loadings in comparison to conventional additives. Less loading or volume allocated to conductive additives enables more volume to be available for energy storage materials. As a result, the LITX G700 graphene-based additive delivers step change performance in conductivity at ultra-low loadings and is easily incorporated into battery electrodes.

Lux Research released a new report (Is Graphene the Next Silicon ... Or Just the Next Carbon Nanotube?) on the graphene market, in which they forecast that the graphene market will grow to $126 million in 2020 (up from $9 million in 2012). It's an impressive growth - but the overall market will remain small. Most of the growth will come from graphene nanoplatelets (NGP) for the composites and energy storage applications. Graphene sheets will remain mostly in the lab.

According to Lux, the leading companies will be XG Sciences and Vorbeck Materials. Vorbeck is selling higher margin conductive inks, while XG supplies GNPs to corporate channel partners. Regarding newer startups (such as Graphene Technologies, Grafoid, National Nanomaterials, Xolve and Haydale), Lux says it is simply too early to tell.

XG Sciences announced that it had launched a joint program with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to develop a titanium-graphene composite using an advanced powder metallurgy manufacturing process.

Titanium is light, strong and corrosion resistant - and is useful in many industrial, commercial, and military applications. The problem is that it has low thermal conductivity. The programs aims to solve this issue by adding graphene - which has excellent thermal conductivity. In this collaboration, XG Sciences has the capability to mass-produce graphene nanoplatelets in high volume, while ORNL has unique capabilities for low-temperature powder metal processing.

XG Sciences announced today that the US Department of Energy (DOE) selected the company to develop high-energy Lithium-ion battery materials for use in extended range electric vehicle applications. XG-Sciences developed a silicon-graphene nanocomposite anode material (based on their xGnP graphene nanoplatelets and XG Leaf graphene sheets) that demonstrated significant increases in energy storage capacity over traditional graphite.

The DOE targets 600 mAh/g reversible anode capacity and 1000 cycle life in 250 mAh cells. XG Sciences will collaborate on this project with battery maker LG Chem Power and the Georgia Institute of Technology.

XG Sciences announced it has started production in its new headquarters and manufacturing facility in Delhi Township, near Lansing, MI. The new facility has an annual production capacity of 80 tons.

XG Sciences is producing Graphene Nanoplatelets, a high-purity material, produced by proprietary low cost processing methods, which can be used to improve the performance of batteries and capacitors, printed electronics, coatings, and plastic structural components.

XG Sciences announced today that the US Air Force Research Laboratory awarded them with a project to develop ultra high-energy capacitors for in space energy storage systems.

The company's graphene-based energy storage materials have demonstrated significant increases in storage capacity over traditional activated carbon.

XG Sciences announced that it has signed a license agreement with Cabot Corporation. XG Sciences will provide Cabot with non-exclusive rights to XG Sciences’ low-cost graphene Nanoplatelets production technology. XG Sciences will also agrees to sell a certain amount of products to Cabot on a long-term basis.

XG Sciences says that this is a $4 million agreement - I do not know whether this includes the product sales or just the license agreement.