Graphene-Info newsletter

A green energy business alliance formed between Grafoid, Focus Graphite, Stria Lithium and Braille Battery

A strategic green energy business alliance branded as the 2GL Platform has been announced. The collaborative agreement between Grafoid, Focus Graphite, Stria Lithium (a junior mining exploration company with an expanding technology focus in lithium metal and foil) and Braille Battery (a leading manufacturer and seller of ultra-lightweight high performance AGM and lithium-ion batteries) pioneers the unification of the development of materials, technologies and processes for next generation energy applications under a shared vision and direction.

The alliance incorporates a mine-to-market next generation energy production and storage supply chain in which high performing graphene will be supplied by Grafoid; battery grade graphite will be supplied by Focus Graphite; lithium metal and lithium foil will be supplied by Stria Lithium; while battery production and sales will be done through Braille Battery. R&D will be coordinated through Grafoid's Global Technology Center Canada.

Lomiko's Graphene ESD announces completion of supercapacitors project

Graphene ESD has announced the successful completion of its supercapacitors development project. The project was undertaken jointly with the Research Foundation of Stony Brook University (SBU), and explored a novel method for assembly of high-voltage supercapacitor units. As part of the agreement, Graphene ESD provided $50,000 funding to the SUNY Research Foundation. The research took place at SBU campus, Stony Brook, NY.

The team assembled and tested a 10 V supercapacitor energy storage unit, thus proving feasibility of the high-voltage design. This development opens the door for new low-cost energy storage products. Currently, GESD is working on scale-up of the technology and an in-field evaluation of the energy storage unit.

Tata Steel to start producing graphene

The Tata Group's Tata Steel is apparently planning to start manufacturing graphene, moving away from a steel company to a materials production company.

Tata has been active in the field of graphene, after signing a collaboration agreement with Talga to explore opportunities in graphene supply, processing and applications. Tata also signed a strategic partnership with the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to co-develop graphene-coated steel and other innovations.

KNano to construct a large-scale graphene fab, will ship materials to customers in 2017

China-based Knano Graphene Technology launched an ambitious project to construct a large-scale graphene production plant. We talked to the company's marketing chief to learn more about this interesting project.

Knano aims to finish construction by the end of 2016, and to start shipping products to customers in 2017. The new plant will mostly produce graphene-enhanced pastes, used for coatings and as Li-Ion battery anode materials. Knano says it already has customers that approved these products produced at the company's current production lines.

Read more here

Graphene-enhanced condoms research receives new funding

Condom maker HLL Lifecare has secured a research grant of $150,000 USD (Rs.6.43 crore) from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) for its phase II graphene condom project. The grant follows an earlier research grant for the proof-of-concept project to produce graphene condoms, also funded by BMGF, and is intended for "pilot scale production and clinical trials of graphene incorporated natural rubber latex (GNRL) condoms". HLL hopes to start marketing graphene condoms globally by the end of the phase II.

The research team has reported the successful completion of the first phase of the study, which involved producing the prototype of graphene-natural rubber latex nanocomposites-based condoms that allow for high heat transfer and improved sensitivity. The team explains that this second stage investment will be used for scaling up production of the graphene-enhanced natural rubber latex condom. The fund will also be utilized for quality checking, stability and clinical trials to test the safety and efficacy and more.

Directa Plus to float on AIM

Directa Plus is going to float on London's AIM market. The group did not provide any details on how many shares it will issue, the price of those shares or its anticipated market capitalization upon admission.

Directa's CEO stated that "Having overcome an important barrier to commercialization - the ability to produce consistent high quality graphene-based products on a large scale, cost effectively - our focus is on satisfying the growing demand from potential customers in our core sectors and to partner with them to create new products that are significantly enhanced".

Graphene-Info's Graphene Batteries Market Report updated to May 2016

Graphene-Info has released a new version of the Graphene Batteries Market Report. This report covers everything you need to know about the niche market, and can be useful if you want to understand how the graphene industry works and what this technology can bring to your own industry.

The Graphene Batteries Market Report includes information regarding the advantages using graphene batteries, the different ways graphene can be used in batteries, various types of graphene materials, what's on the market today, detailed specifications of some graphene-enhanced anode material, personal contact details into most graphene developers and more!

China-based e-paper developer Guangzou OED Technologies announced that it has developed a new graphene e-paper technology. The company aims to start producing these new screens within a year.

XG Sciences has received a DOE Round 2 small business award for $150,000, which it will use to support its efforts to develop low-cost manufacturing of a silicon-graphene composite anode.

Haydale has announced a joint development agreement with the Saudi Arabian pipe producer Amiantit's Flowtite Technology, an R&D headquarters based in Norway, to develop pipeline solutions utilizing advanced materials technology including Haydale functionalized graphene based thermosetting resin masterbatches.

Elcora Advanced Materials recently reported on the progress of its Graphene R&D Lab in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Construction of the graphene production facility commenced in February 2016 and the equipment is now in place and commissioning is reportedly on schedule.

CealTech aims to become a leading global producer of high volume, high quality graphene, ultra-fine graphite and fine graphite. Production will be done by CealTech's independently-developed FORZA 3D graphene production unit (patent pending).

Graphene 3D Lab has announced a new class of graphene materials with exceptional oil absorbance properties. The Company has commissioned a new production reactor that results in a 5-fold increase in the production capabilities of Graphene Oxide and Reduced Graphene Oxide; Using this extended capacity, the Company produced a new class of materials: Graphene Oxide and Reduced Graphene Oxide Foams.

A study coordinated by the International School for Advanced Studies in Trieste (SISSA) and the University of Trieste examines how effective graphene oxide flakes are at interfering with excitatory synapses, which could prove useful in new treatments for diseases like epilepsy.

Versarien has announced that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Bromley Technologies to collaborate on the development of graphene-enhanced carbon fibre products using Versarien’s graphene nano platelets. The initial focus is expected to be on products in the elite sports area.

NanoIntegris, a subsidiary of Raymor Industries, recently announced the launch of PureWave Graphene, a substrate-free graphene grown in a plasma reactor, whose specifications are said to approach those of CVD single-layer graphene.

The australian University of Adelaide has been awarded $2.6 million (roughly 1.9 million USD) in federal funding to establish the Australian Research Council (ARC) Research Hub for Graphene Enabled Industry Transformation.

Anson Resources recently announced signing an MOU with China’s Shanxi Jianbang Group, to collaborate on steps towards commercialization of graphite and graphene products from Anson’s graphite.

Innova Research recently published a survey that states that the Chinese graphene market revenue for 2015 was estimated at $6.1 million, a 335.7% jump from $1.4 million for 2014.