Haydale - Page 15

Swansea University researchers, along with Haydale, examined the feasibility of using carbon materials as catalysts for dye sensitized solar cells (DSCs), a potentially low-cost alternative to silicon-based solar cells.

Haydale HDPlas low pressure cold plasma technology was used to introduce functional groups onto graphene. This is a process known to improve the material’s performance as a counter electrode in DSCs as it improves the dispersion of carbon nanomaterials without the need for surfactants and decreases the density of the powder without increasing the SSA (Specific Surface Area a useful way to quantify nanostructure and estimate catalytic activity).

A collaboration between researchers from Cardiff University and Haydale conducted a study focused on component-scale hierarchical composites using nanocarbons, mainly graphene and CNTs. The team's main aim was to explore techniques for component-scale manufacture of hierarchical composites by liquid infusion.

A plasma process, developed by Haydale, was adopted for controllable functionalization of large batches of nanocarbons (100s of grams) prior to mixing with epoxy resin. A rheological study indicated that filler morphology, functionalization and fill weight all have an effect on epoxy resin viscosity. Using these developed nanocomposite resins, a resin infusion under flexible tooling (RIFT) technique was developed. Resin flow studies informed an optimum setup that facilitated full wet-out of large area UD carbon fibre laminates and the resulting materials showed significant improvements in mechanical properties, demonstrating up to ~50% increase in compression after impact (CAI) properties.

Scientists at the University of Bristol, in collaboration with Haydale, studied the effects of adding nanoscale reinforcements like graphene nanoplatelets and CNTs to metals in hopes of improving their through-thickness.

They discovered that through-thickness could indeed be greatly improved, thus solving a major hindrance of composites that are otherwise known as having many superior properties. The results of this study may benefit fields that require light materials that are also durable, like the aerospace industry.

Haydale has announced a collaboration with Versarien (main owners of 2-DTech) to accelerate the development of their respective graphene projects. The companies will work together to create solutions for the manufacturing and functionalization of graphene on a large scale suitable for mass produced commercial applications.

The companies expect to share resources to maximize the exposure and utilization of the expertise of both organisations, which operate in different areas. In particular, Versarien through its subsidiary 2-D Tech will supply high quality graphene platelets for functionalization using Haydale’s proprietary technology. Haydale will also supply high quality sustainable graphite for use as feedstock by 2-D Tech and evaluate the resulting material.

Haydale has announced an agreement with Australian technology materials development company Talga Resources. As part of the collaboration, Talga and Haydale will jointly explore industrial scale business cooperation opportunities utilising Talga graphitic carbon nanomaterials, graphite and GNP’s value-added with Haydale’s proprietary low temperature plasma functionalization treatment and end user demand chains. 

The initial project will be for Haydale to analyse Talga carbon nanomaterial samples with aims of using those materials in its ongoing composite or ink research programmes and develop tailored finished or functionalized products that can be supplied to both Haydale and Talga’s end users or intermediaries for integration by them into their end use applications. Haydale is hopeful that this initial project will, over time, lead to additional projects with associated revenue streams.

Haydale has announced further progress in North America in the form of a service agreement with InVentures Groups, as well as the opening of a new office. The location of the new office and R&D facility, which is expected to be opened this month, is still under evaluation and likely to be in New York State.

The service agreement with InVentures is a rolling one year service agreement that dictates that InVentures will provide Haydale with financial, strategic and management planning advice to develop a center of excellence and establish Haydale as a leading provider of functionalized graphene and other nanomaterials to the North American market. In return, Haydale will provide an initial HT60 reactor to the USA to enable the functionalization of graphene and other nano materials on site. This reactor will provide sampling and low volume functionalized nano materials to the US market.  

Haydale announced inking a deal to supply the Centre for Process and Innovation (CPI) in the UK with its HT60 reactor, which is expected to be fully operational by October 2015. The deal will produce an initial revenue of â‚¤170,000 for Haydale. Haydale successfully tendered for the supply agreement and will deliver a standard HT60 R&D reactor later this month and then provide training and technical support to CPI. Following this deal, Haydale is looking to concentrate on its commercialization strategy over the next year, with the U.S market a key area of growth.

CPI is a UK-based technology innovation centre and part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult. CPI has recently committed £14 million to create the UK’s Graphene Applications Innovation Centre. The new centre will build on existing capabilities at CPI and will provide facilities and expertise to help companies to develop, prove, prototype and scale up graphene based products and processes.

Haydale recently announced the creation of a new aerospace unit within the composite division to focus on the development of graphene enhanced composite materials for the aerospace industry. This unit will be one of the branches operating under the HCS (Haydale Composite Solutions) name, formerly known as EPL.

To fast track this area of expertise, HCS announced several new appointments which should bring the company additional specific focused knowledge and experience. HCS's aim is to become recognized as a world leading innovative solution provider and a science, product and technology partner.

EPL Composite Solutions, a subsidiary of Haydale, announced the  development of an in-house testing facility to measure and demonstrate the durability of a new generation of graphene enhanced composite gas pipes and pipeline materials. The testing facility is meant to help the company accelerate the long term testing of thermoplastic composite pipes, as well as enabling it to fast track new materials such as graphene enhanced thermoplastics into the composite pipelines.

EPL has been working closely with the oil and gas industry on the development of a process to manufacture spoolable, high pressure, fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite pipes on a continuous basis. This product is planned to become a replacement for corrosion resistant steel pipes currently in widespread use. EPL is also working closely with Haydale to incorporate graphene into the thermoplastic composite pipes in order to enhance the oil and gas permeation resistance of these materials as well as increasing the materials' long term durability.

Haydale recently developed a unique graphene functionalization test method, which is also quick, accurate and performed in-house. This test method helps determine the type and extent of functionalization present on graphene materials and could help change the way graphene assessment and quality control is done, as traditional methods ( like XPS, FTIR etc.) can be expensive, time consuming and require a high level of expertise.

The company’s new method provides a rapid, simple and repeatable test to confirm the effectiveness of functionalization processes. Furthermore, the method is able to indicate the level of functional groups added and to discriminate between different functional groups. Complimentary to traditional chemical characterization methods currently used by graphene industry, Haydale's new dispersion stability tester provides an affordable and reliable quality control tool for functionalized graphene process development and manufacturing.