Graphene for Automotive - Page 19

Versarien announced an agreement with Fern Plastic Products to manufacture injection moulded products using graphene-enhanced polyaryletherketone (PAEK) materials. The agreement with Fern Plastics follows the agreement with Scafell Organics announced earlier this month.

The plan is for Versarien to utilize Fern Plastics' manufacturing facilities and expertise to produce injection moulded products using graphene-enhanced PAEK materials produced through Versarien's collaboration with Scafell.

Versarien, the advanced materials group, has signed an agreement with polymer chemical producer Scafell Organics to develop graphene-enhanced polyaryletherketone materials (PAEKs). These materials are a family of semi-crystalline thermoplastics with high-temperature stability and high mechanical strength, used in the automotive and aerospace industries.

Versarien reportedly plans to utilize Scafell’s facilities and production expertise to produce graphene enhanced PAEK materials using Versarien supplied graphene nano platelets. It is hoped that these graphene enhanced materials will be available for sale by Versarien through its sales team as well as Scafell’s customers.

Versarien recently announced the purchase of AAC Cyroma, a specialist plastic manufacturer, for about £1.4m to establish a dedicated graphene plastic manufacturing factory. Using Versarien's graphene manufacturing capabilities and AAC Cyroma's knowledge, plant and equipment, the acquisition will aim to enable the company to produce graphene-enhanced products, including automotive-related original equipment.

Versarien also bought The Breakfast Club 2000, a non-trading holding company which owns 85% AAC Cyroma's shares and the remaining 15% was bought from an individual, and together the shares will be admitted to AIM.

Graphene 3D Lab, a leader in the development, manufacturing and marketing of proprietary composites and coatings based on graphene and other advanced materials, recently unveiled a new product developed from the G6-Impact material while presenting at the Graphene Malaysia 2016 Conference.

The new Graphene/Carbon Fiber based FDM filament will be marketed as "G6-ImpactTM filament". The G6-Impact filament will feature semi-rigidness prints with outstanding vibration damping and shock absorbing properties. The G6-ImpactTM filament will be targeted towards engineers and professional 3D printing users interested in the areas of vibration damping, thermoformed parts, and printing models or prototypes for use in the automotive, construction, robotics, or aerospace industry.

Henrik Fisker, who recently announced its new EV project that will sport a graphene-enhanced battery, unveiled what is hoped to be a competitor to Tesla. Called EMotion, the electric sports car will reportedly achieve a 161 mph (259 kmh) top speed and a 400-mile electric range.

While the EMotion is still in its early stages, Fisker already announced several details that suggest the vehicle is not designed for everyday commuting. It was described it as "technology-laden" and said to be expensive. A graphene-based battery will power the electric motor, the result of a partnership between Fisker and California-based Nanotech Energy.

Graphene 3D Lab recently announced that it has developed an innovative graphene composite material that was given the trade name "G6-ImpactTM", intended for users in the automotive, robotics, drone, aerospace industries and military sectors. G3L has filed a provisional patent application covering methods of production and formulation as well as the potential applications of the G6-ImpactTM material.

The new material reportedly features excellent rigidity and extraordinary absorption for both impact and vibration. Its high performance is ensured by G3L's proprietary formulation and production method. G6-ImpactTM will be an optimal material for applications where vibration damping is required on rigid surfaces, which could include sporting gear, power tools handles, automotive parts, and aerospace components.

Update: After speaking with the NGI, it seems that there is no such cooperation taking place. China's Tianjin High-tech Area (THT) will cooperate with Allied Vehicles Group in Scotland, a leading supplier of adapted and special purpose vehicles and the National Institute of Graphene of the Manchester University on the development of graphene-enhanced batteries for new energy vehicles (NEV).

The Tianjin High-tech Area has formed a complete NEV industrial chain over the years, including battery, motor and other component development. The THT is expecting near-future investments and plans to expand in most parts of the industrial chain.

Researchers at Rice University have found that layers of graphene, separated by nanotube pillars of boron nitride, may be a suitable material to store hydrogen fuel in cars. The boron nitride pillars are situated between graphene layers to make space for hydrogen atoms, similarly to spaces between floors in a building. The actual challenge is to make the atoms enter and stay in sufficient numbers and exit upon demand.

In their latest molecular dynamics simulations, the researchers found that either pillared graphene or pillared boron nitride graphene would offer abundant surface area (about 2,547 square meters per gram) with good recyclable properties under ambient conditions. Their models showed adding oxygen or lithium to the materials would make them even better at binding hydrogen.

Mincom Capital has announced it has entered into a non-binding letter of intent with Grafoid to acquire Grafoid's 75% interest in Braille Holdings which owns Braille Battery. The proposed purchase price is $2 million USD, of which $1 million USD will be paid in cash and $1 million USD will be paid in shares issued to Grafoid from the treasury of Mincom. To fund this acquisition, Mincom plans to raise around $3 million USD.

Grafoid stated that "We see future market opportunities for high performing next generation batteries in the bus and truck manufacturing sectors and we see trends emerging in marine, aviation and medical equipment and other industrial sectors that might benefit from graphene-based energy solutions".

After announcing its collaboration with Reliance last month, to develop graphene-enhanced elastomer materials, Vorbeck Materials launches Vor-flex Engineered HNBR Elastomer: Rubber Reinforced with Vor-x Graphene.

The Vor-flex 50 is planned to be the first in a new family of graphene-enhanced, engineered elastomer products made using Vorbeck’s proprietary Vor-x technology. Vor-x provides Vor-flex 50‘s hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR) with extreme strength at low deformation (high modulus) and the ability to withstand temperature spikes up to 200 °F above the rated working temperature of HNBR. Vor-flex 50 has a nominal tensile strength of 3500 psi and a Shore A hardness of 88.