MATERIALS | NANOCOMPOSITES
Right: MITO’s E-GO functionalised graphene oxide has been formulated to maximise dispersion and resist agglomeration
Below: Graphene masterbatches from Gerdau Graphene can improve perfor- mance and sustainability
published (ISO/TS 80004-13:2017 on vocabulary, ISO/TR 19733:2019 on properties and measurement techniques, and ISO/TS 21356-1 on structural charac- terisation). These were recently adopted by the Brazilian National Standards Organisation (ABNT). The latest commercial nanocarbon-enhanced material from Gerdau Graphene is its Poly-G PE-07GM polyethylene masterbatch, which is designed for use in non-stretch films, profiles, and sheets formed by extrusion. Products made with the masterbatch are said to be stronger, to cost less to manufacture, and result in less production waste, the company reports. Poly-G has been pilot-tested in a number of industrial wrap applications in the factories of Gerdau’s steel-producer parent company. In the case of a plastic film containing 1% Poly-G used for wrapping construction nails, film thickness was reduced by around 20% and a 7% increase in film productivity was measured. In addition, because fewer nails perforated the new packaging com- pared to the old, there was also a 40% reduction in the overall volume of damaged packaging, the company reports. Gerdau Graphene has also recently partnered
with Packseven, a Brazilian flexible film maker, to commercialise an ultra-thin, graphene-enhanced stretch film using Poly-G. In initial tests, the films showed they could pack 120% more product without breaking compared with comparable flexible films, the company says. It cites benefits from using the more durable and thinner films including reduced film consumption as well as improved safety in packing and loading. Puncture resistance is also enhanced. Laboratory-scale testing also showed the nanocarbon-enhanced masterbatch could allow a greater amount of recycled plastic to be used in a stretch film formulation. It also allows further downgauging to cut polymer consumption. Corrêa says both benefits enhance sustainability and are a primary value of interest in the plastics
market. “Adding as little as 1% in mass of our Poly-G to a thermoplastic matrix provides a 20–30% reduction in virgin resin.
IMAGE: GERDAU GRAPHENE 14
We continue to test and pilot recycling applica- tions,” he says.
COMPOUNDING WORLD | October 2023
Recycled masterbatch The latest development from Canada-based Nanoxplore is a graphene masterbatch made with recycled PP and recycled TPO. The aim of the new masterbatch is to boost performance of recycled
resins, to improve the compat- ibility of blends, and to homog- enise colour to a more appealing hue, according to Nima Moghimian, Global Director of R&D. He says the
graphene is easy to process using standard equipment.
Automotive applications are a primary target for the new product. “Our graphene is affordable, available in large quantities and has regulatory approval in North America and Europe,” says Moghimian. Meanwhile, US-based MITO Material Solutions has developed a patented process to functionalise graphene to create a hybrid of graphene oxide with polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) that can be used in thermosets or in thermoplastic compounds. The company says its MITO E-GO additive of micron-sized particles is formulated to “reactively disperse and resist agglomeration”. In 2022, the Graphene Council awarded the additive the title of “Verified Functionalized Graphene,” which MITO says means users can be assured of its product consistency and quality. Canadian graphene manufacturer Universal
Matter (UMI) aims to “upcycle” carbon-based materials and waste streams to manufacture tur- bostratic graphene, where the individual crystal layers are twisted out of alignment. This misaligned stacking is said to mitigate interlayer coupling, which increases interplanar spacing and yields better physi- cal properties relative to alternative graphene structures when compared on a similar weight basis. The company’s proprietary “Flash Joule Heat-
ing” graphene manufacturing process can use a wide range of carbon-based feedstocks, including tyre or plastics waste streams. “With plastics, we have typically utilised post-pyrolysis carbon from this stream, but we can also utilise the raw plastic streams. Generally speaking, higher carbon content and fewer volatiles are preferred,” says Dru Kefalos, Chief Marketing Officer. Kefalos says the company is actively developing
graphene solutions for thermoplastic composites, with most of the development work to date taken place with HDPE, PP, and PA. The company has Innovation Centers located at
www.compoundingworld.com
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