NANOCOMPOSITES | MATERIALS
Nano-scale additives, especially graphene and CNTs, are drawing attention as costs come down and processing expertise builds. Jennifer Markarian investigates
IMAGE: MITO MATERIAL SOLUTIONS
Nanocomposite challenges ease as experience grows
In the realm of nano-scale materials the rule is that a little goes a long way, with significant property improvements obtainable at very low loading levels. In the past, however, realising the potential benefits has meant overcoming challenges, including difficulty in adequately dispersing the additives as well as their high cost. Technology providers are finding solutions to these challenges, though, and nano-scale additives such as graphene and carbon nanotubes are now finding their way into new thermoplastic applications. Graphene, for example, offers property improve- ments for various plastics applications. Thermo- plastic composites enhanced with graphene (a single layer thick sheet of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice structure) can reduce weight and improve strength in a range of applications requiring miniaturisation, low weight and high functionality, according to Alexandre Corrêa, CEO of Brazil-based Gerdau Graphene. He cites aerospace and wearable electronics as just two of
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many potential application sectors. Properties such as electrical and thermal conduc- tivity and high-temperature resistance are driving graphene’s use in thermal management applica- tions, such as plastic tubes in heat exchangers for water desalination, power stations and refrigeration. In addition, the flexibility of graphene-filled films and sheets makes them suitable for displays, touchscreens and photovoltaic cells, he notes. As global availability of graphene increases, the cost is decreasing, Corrêa says. And regulations are being put in place that will provide essential standards for users. “In Europe, the Graphene Flagship — a multi-country consortium between industries and government agencies in Europe — has laid a fundamental groundwork on relevant regulations and norms. Similar work has begun in the United States, and now we see other countries, such as Brazil, following suit adapting locally these new regulations,” he says. Corrêa adds that three ISO standards have been
Main image: Tackling the challenge of effective
dispersion — in this case by MITO using functionalisa- tion — is
opening up opportunities to exploit the novel perfor- mance benefits of graphene- based nano particles
October 2023 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 13
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