Graphene composites: introduction and market status - Page 5

Italy-based Kemind previously reported the development of new graphene-enhanced glue concepts, that have been applied to its corrugating production process. It was said that the new glue increases production efficiency, reduces costs and improves quality for several of Kemind's corrugated board products. Now, Kemind and 2DFab (which supplies the graphene materials for the project) have updated their satisfaction with the project, stating that Kemigraph® B has been in commercial for several years, and Kemind is continuously buying graphene from 2DFab. 

By adding graphene to their glue formula for corrugated boards, the global chemical company Kemind has managed to increase production efficiency as well as improve quality for various corrugated board products. Kemind sees great potential in graphene and plans on extending the use of the material in more applications.

The GIANCE research project officially commenced on October 1st, marking a step toward addressing environmental challenges with innovative solutions.

GIANCE is an ambitious initiative that seeks to establish a holistic, integrated and industry-driven platform with a clear focus on improving sustainable materials and their real-world applications. This project is dedicated to designing, developing and scaling up the next generation of cost-effective, sustainable, lightweight and recyclable graphene and related materials (GRM)-based multifunctional composites, coatings, foams and membranes (GRM-bM).

Versarien has announced the launch of a portfolio of graphene and related nanomaterial-based thermoplastic polymer compounds, branded under the name Polygrene. The Company says that the Polygrene line is the culmination of extensive collaborative efforts with the International Institute for Nanocomposites Manufacturing (IINM) at WMG, University of Warwick.

The new range has potential applications across a variety of industries, including sports equipment, construction products, aerospace and automotive components. This versatility showcases the adaptability and strength of the new graphene-infused materials.

U.S-based ONE Condoms has launched graphene-enhanced condoms, after nearly a decade of research and development. 

ONE Condoms' website says that "ONE scientists molecularly bonded graphene, the thinnest and strongest material on earth, with Sensatex®, our proprietary, ultra-soft, vegan latex". The Company explained that when bonded together, graphene molecules fill the space between latex molecules, creating a new material that advances thinness, flexibility, and thermal conductivity. 

Mito Material Solutions' graphene technology has reportedly been used in fishing rods by St. Croix Fly, a U.S-based company that develops and manufactures fly fishing rods. The new graphene-enhanced line includes Evo and its saltwater-equivalent, Evo Salt, two new premium fly rod designs.

St. Croix’s rods are constructed from SCIII+. Exclusive to the company, SCIII+ is a hybrid carbon fiber material combining high modulus high-strain SCIII carbon fiber and super high modulus SCVI exotic carbon fiber. By itself, SCIII+ carbon fiber is said to produce lighter, more sensitive and better-balanced rods without sacrificing strength or durability. Unlike other fly rods built with pre-applied graphene integrated into carbon fiber prepreg, Evos and Evos Salt are powered by Mito’s functionalized graphene, which is applied in-house at St. Croix at total weight-loading accuracies within 0.01%, delivering radical hoop strength, optimized loop stability and complete accuracy. The process also fits within St. Croix’s vertical-control philosophy, affords extreme consistency and ultimately delivers anglers with more of the benefits graphene can provide — namely faster recovery, increased torsional rigidity and improved strength-to-weight ratios.

Gerdau Graphene, in collaboration with Gerdau (its parent company and a major Brazilian steel manufacturer), has unveiled graphene-infused packaging for Gerdau’s nail product line manufactured at three facilities in Brazil. Utilizing the new packaging is expected to reduce Gerdau’s direct plastic consumption by around 25%, or more than 72 tons per year.

Produced with proprietary G2D technology, the new packaging incorporates 1% Poly-G PE-07GM, the company’s inaugural polymer masterbatch with graphene dispersed in polyolefins such as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). Poly-G is suitable for the production of films, profiles, and sheets formed through the extrusion processes. The new thermoplastic products created using Poly-G PE-07GM are reportedly proven to be stronger and offer greater overall performance while costing less to manufacture and producing significantly less waste across the value chain. In addition, the products are lighter and longer-lasting, reducing total plastic waste by up to 40%.

UK-based Graft Polymer has joined a consortium led by the Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences relating to the GrinShield Project Twinning program for new graphene-based composites in electromagnetic interference shielding. The initiative, supported by French, German and Slovenian teams, was formed in response to the growing demand for materials that can mitigate the effects of electromagnetic waves (EWs).

Graft Polymer will contribute its GRAFTALLOY MP-UHMWPE and NANO graphene emulsions to the project. These materials will undergo rigorous testing procedures by the institute, culminating in a joint research and development report due for completion in 2025.

NanoXplore has announced that it has been awarded three programs from two existing customers, one large commercial vehicle OEM and one industrial equipment manufacturer, to supply exterior parts of vehicles.  These components are used in both internal combustion engines and electric vehicles.

Production for the first program will begin in 2024 while the start of production for the other two programs is planned for 2026. These programs generally last for a period of 10 years. The Corporation estimates that these programs will generate CAD$24 million (over USD$17,700,000) in annual sales at mature volumes along with a one-time tooling revenue of CAD$10 million (over USD$7,400,000). The Corporation has reportedly already secured the related manufacturing equipment to fulfill these orders and the expansion of the North Carolina facility is ongoing. These investments are part of NanoXplore’s 5-year strategic plan.

HydroGraph Clean Power, a manufacturer of graphene, has announced it is expanding its application development capabilities to meet growing global demand by establishing a partnership with the University of Manchester’s Graphene Engineering Innovation Center (GEIC) commencing in October of 2023. 

This strategic collaboration will aim to significantly enhance and ‘de-risk’ HydroGraph's application development capabilities. The GEIC, formed to commercialize graphene-related technologies and products, specializes in rapidly scaling up applications involving composites, building materials, membranes, inks, and coatings. To support their mission the £60 million GEIC facility was established with significant lab and engineering space that houses state-of-the-art testing and application development equipment, supported by experienced and knowledgeable team. Hydrograph will scale up this critical application development work by leveraging the resources at the GEIC with a team of commercially focused scientists and engineers to support industry adoption of its "99.8% pristine fractal graphene".

Lyten has announced it has raised $200 million as part of its over-subscribed Series B funding round, to scale manufacturing and commercialize its first three product lines: Lithium-Sulfur batteries, lightweight composites, and next generation IoT sensors.

The round is led by Prime Movers Lab, a venture capital firm focused on investments in breakthrough scientific startups and has $1.2B in assets under management. Prime Movers Lab is joined with significant participation from strategic investors and sector leaders Stellantis (previously announced), FedEx Corporation, Honeywell, and Walbridge Aldinger Company. Additional strategic, venture capital and individual investors make up the remainder of the round.