Haydale Graphene Industries plc has signed an annual supply agreement for specific functionalised graphene nanoplatelet (‘GNP’) material from River Runs Co., Ltd., Korea’s leading maker of high-performance fishing rods and reels. The graphene based material has been incorporated in a carbon fibre pre preg to produce graphene-enhanced carbon fibre fishing rods for sale in both domestic and overseas markets.
River Runs has reported a significant increase in mechanical gain and while this supply agreement is relatively small, it demonstrates the benefit of using properly dispersed Haydale functionalised GNP’s. The fishing rods along with other improved performance carbon fibre composites will be on display at the JEC composites show in Paris from 6 to 8 March on the Haydale stand S64 in Hall 6.
Commenting on the long-term supply agreement with River Runs, Ray Gibbs, CEO of Haydale, said: “We have been working with the River Runs team for 12 months and they have developed a novel method of producing the pre-preg carbon fibre with our functionalised GNP’s. While the supply amounts are initially modest, the ability to capitalise on this process offers us exciting new sales opportunities specifically in the Korean market. Read more at www.haydale.com
UK graphene producer Versarien is collaborating with Team Sky on the development of graphene-enhanced cycling equipment. These products may include cycle frames, wheels and tyres rider helmets and rider apparel. Versarien’s proprietary Nanene few layer graphene nano-platelets and graphene inks will be evaluated in the design and development of new and future products to ascertain any performance benefits that can be gained from improvements in material strength and impact absorption, material weight, and thermal radiation properties through the addition of graphene.
Graphene production starts in Australia
First Graphene has started production at a new commercial graphene facility in Western Australia. The company has spent almost three years developing its technology and supply lines, culminating in the commissioning of the Henderson commercial production facility. They are working closely with a number potential customers in Australia, Europe and North America, supplying trial parcels of graphene for testing and developing of application methods across a broad range of products including, but not limited to operators in the battery, concrete, fire retardant, paints and coatings and polymer businesses. Read more at: http://skeletontech.com/
Graphene seat warmers
Promethient Inc. has developed a new graphene-enhanced seat warmer technology that it says is more efficient and durable than similar available systems. The company has developed the Thermavance conductive heat transfer system, which uses conduction of heat as opposed to most of the other technologies that rely on transfer of heat through convection for the purpose of warming seats.
Swedish start-up develops robust graphene product
Graphmatech, a spin off from Uppsala University, Sweden has developed novel hybrid graphene material named Aros Graphene® have manufacturde a graphene hybrid material that does not degrade when upscaled. “A major challenge of working with graphene was the agglomeration under scale-up. We had fantastic properties at the nano-scale and less encouraging properties at macro-scale. The challenges have driven me to intensively think about solutions to bring such a wonder-material to industrial products while keeping its amazing properties”, says Dr. Mamoun Taher, material scientist and CEO at Graphmatech. Aros Graphene® is a hybrid ionic graphene material that is easy and eco-friendly to manufacture and can be applied as an additive into a matrix, a coating or even by 3D printing.
“With Aros Graphene® we can finally realise the full potential of graphene and we have already shown that in preliminary tests with potential customers. The first commercial applications will be available in 2019”, said Dr. Taher. Read more at: www.graphmatech.com
Talga Resources signs MOU with Bosch
Talga Resources Ltd has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (“MOU”) with Robert Bosch GmbH (“Bosch”), the German based multinational engineering and electronics company. The companies will commence preparatory work regarding a development project in the field of utilising graphene in the synthesis of macroscopic structures. Read more at: www.talgaresources.com
Hong Kong company developing graphene battery tech
Hong Kong materials developer Surwon Technology has used graphene to reinforce lithium-ion battery anode structure to dramatically increase life efficiency. The development could potentially double the life-time performance of a conventional lithium-ion battery cell. “The challenge for all energy dependent applications lies in creating a more robust, efficient battery fuel cell. We have found that graphene provides us with substantial flexibility as we continue to manipulate electrical behavior at the atomic level,” commented Surwon Technology’s Chief Technology Officer. “By increasing the tensile properties of the atomic structure, our research shows that electrical conductivity is enhanced over a longer range as resistance to deterioration is increased in a more stable structural composite.”Read more at http://surwontechnology.com
Graphene product developer licences University research
Urbix Resources, based in Mesa, Arizona, has licensed a portfolio of lithium-ion battery and related materials technologies invented at the University of Arizona. The technologies — an environmentally friendly low-temperature graphite purification technique first commissioned by Urbix Resources, a new electrode architecture, an electrolyte and a graphene exfoliation reactor — were developed by Palash Gangopadhyay in his role as a research professor at the UA College of Optical Sciences. He is now the full-time chief technology officer at Urbix, overseeing the commercialization of these technologies.
“Essentially,” Gangopadhyay says, “this graphite purification technology can make current processes to make lithium-ion battery grade anode material safer, more environmentally friendly and more cost effective, ultimately enabling lithium-ion battery’s true potential as a sustainable technology.” Read more at: https://urbixresources.com/
Graphene company wins competition
Grox Industries has won a top prize at the national Baylor New Venture Competition. More than 140 teams applied to the prestigious competition, with 10 invited to compete as finalists in Waco, Texas. The company has developed a custom, graphene oxide-based coating that improves the energy efficiency of windows, using a technological innovation from the lab of U of A chemistry professor Ryan Tian.
Researchers from CSIRO in Australia have developed a filtration membrane that they claim is capable of making water from Sydney Harbour drinkable. Made from graphene, one of the world’s strongest and thinnest materials, the membrane makes water purification simpler, more effective and quicker, says CSIRO scientist Dong Han Seo. “Conventional water filter membranes used in water purification are made from polymers (plastics) and cannot handle a diverse mix of contaminants, they clog or allow contaminants to pass through, so they have to be separated out before the water is filtered,” CSIRO scientist Dong Han Seo said. “This technology can create clean drinking water, regardless of how dirty it is, in a single step.”
XG Sciences, Inc has collaborated with Callaway Golf Company to develop two new product offerings: the Chrome Soft and Chrome Soft X golf balls. This new Callaway Golf® ball line incorporates XG Sciences’ graphene nanoplatelets into the outer core of the Chrome Soft balls, resulting in a new class of product that enables increased control, higher driving speeds and greater distance.
NTS Innovations (also known as Nanotube Solutions LLC), headquartered in East Peoria, Illinois, has licensed patent-pending technology from the University of Arkansas and plans to use it to fabricate devices and systems that produce energy without consuming fuel or creating pollution. Physics professor Paul Thibado has designed graphene-powered motors that can run on ambient temperature, a device called the Vibration Energy Harvester. Thibado predicts that his generators could transform our environment, allowing any object to send, receive, process and store information, powered only by room temperature heat. Read more at https://researchfrontiers.uark.edu/good-vibrations/
