Graphene for Automotive - Page 9

China Carbon Graphite Group, Chinese manufacturer of graphene and graphite-based products, has announced that together with the research and development team of its subsidiary, Royal Elite New Energy Science and Technology ("Roycarbon"), the company is developing a new silicon graphene nanocomposite product for next-gen lithium-ion batteries.

This upcoming product is expected to replace the current anode material and would provide improvements in electrochemical performance for the latest EV and mobile device batteries.

Applied Graphene Materials has announced that its customer, Halo Autocare, a leading innovator in car care products, has launched Graphene Alloy Wheel Wax as part of its EZ Car Care range of products. This is the second graphene-enhanced wax polish product launched by Halo Autocare as part of its Graphene Innovation Programme, which uses AGM’s Genable® graphene dispersion technology.

The microcrystalline wax-based polish is said to be the result of the continued partnership and a rigorous testing programme delivered by Halo Autocare. This has produced a new product that delivers extended performance benefits, including improved thermal and chemical resistance to enhance coating durability further for demanding wheel and exhaust applications. The temperature resistance made possible through the new graphene nanoplatelet formulation helps with durability when alloy wheels heat up from consistent brake use. Combining these attributes with excellent barrier performance means that water spotting is also less likely to occur.

Talga has announced the launch of a fully underwritten institutional placement to raise USD$18.8 Million (AUD$25 million) before costs and a non-underwritten Share Purchase Plan to eligible shareholders to raise up to USD$7.5 Million (AUD$10 million).

Talga will use the proceeds to fund the Electric Vehicle Anode (EVA) pilot plant as part of the development of the Vittangi Anode Project located in northern Sweden.

Paragraf, UK-based graphene electronic sensors and devices company, announced that it is helping to realize an industry first by implementing a supply chain for graphene Hall-Effect sensors used in high-temperature Power Electronics, Electric Machines and Drives (PEMD) within the aerospace sector.

Named High-T Hall, the project stems from the UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) ‘Driving the Electric Revolution’ challenge and brings together Paragraf, Rolls-Royce, TT Electronics (Aero Stanrew) and the Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult (CSA Catapult). It is set to demonstrate how graphene-based Hall Effect sensors can operate reliably at high temperatures, paving the way for more efficient electric engines in aerospace and beyond.

Researchers at Northwestern University and Clemson University in the U.S, along with researchers from Sejong University in Korea, have examined the origins of degradation in high energy density LIB cathode materials and developed graphene-based strategies for mitigating those degradation mechanisms and improving LIB performance.

Their research could be valuable for many emerging applications, particularly electric vehicles and grid-level energy storage for renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar.

After announcing its plan (In May 2020) to mass produce graphene-enhanced battery for EVs by the end of 2020, and setting up a unit that specializes in graphene and has begun research and development of fast-charging technology for electric vehicles in September 2020, GAC has now stated that it expects to test its battery in production vehicles by the end of this year, however - whether it can eventually be put into mass production will have to await the results of real-vehicle testing.

According to GAC's claim, the graphene "super-fast-charging battery" can be recharged to 85 percent in just eight minutes. If this proves to be true, the charging time will be comparable to the refueling time of traditional fuel cars, which by itself will be great news for the EV market.

NanoXplore recently reported that it received a blanket purchase order from Martinrea International to supply graphene for fuel and brake lines for passenger vehicles produced by North American automotive Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM).

These graphene-enhanced products were tested and approved by OEMs and reportedly demonstrate significant lifetime improvements in comparison with existing solutions in the market. These parts will be supplied to OEMs by Martinrea within already-awarded multi-year fuel and brake line supply programs.

Applied Graphene Materials recently announced its plans to launch a new graphene-enhanced car polishing product in partnership with Infinity Wax, a specialist car care distributor.

Infinity Wax will start to market the new QDX Graphene Detailing Spray in the fourth quarter of 2020, according to Applied Graphene Materials.

Chinese EV maker Guangzhou Automobile New Energy (GAC), which announced last May that it has developed a graphene-enhanced battery for EVs which will be available for mass production at the end of this year, recently set up a unit that specializes in graphene and has begun research and development of fast-charging technology for electric vehicles.

Guangzhou Juwan Technology Research has registered capital of CNY58.8 million (USD8.6 million), according to statements by the Guangzhou-based company. It specializes in new materials and technologies, graphene and carbon products manufacture, battery production, emerging energy tech R&D, software development and sales of graphene materials.

Estonian startup Skeleton Technologies is reportedly developing a graphene-enhanced SuperBattery that can be charged in just 15 seconds, and can go through hundreds of thousands of charge-recharge cycles without degrading. It was also reported that Skeleton recently signed a €1 billion letter of intent with a leading automotive manufacturer to bring the technology to market, most likely in 2023 according to Taavi Madiberk, founder and chief executive of Skeleton.

This will be a key enabler of the energy transition, says Madiberk. In most cases we see that batteries are not able to fully replace the older technologies — we still have hybrid vehicles or the need for backup generators.