graphene and composite materials - stronger together

Graphene and Composite Materials

Graphene and Composite Materials - Stronger Together

This presentation will;

Describe the type and characteristics of the most common forms of graphene used in composite materials.

Provide examples of how graphene is being used in composite materials and actual products.

Graphene Enhanced Composites And Plastics



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Types of Graphene Materials Used in Composites

Forms of Graphene


Forms of Graphene

Graphene is a two dimensional (i.e. one atom thick) planar sheet of sp²-bonded carbon atoms in a dense honeycomb shaped crystal lattice.

Graphene has extraordinary material properties including ultimate tensile strength of 130 gigapascals, electron mobility of 15,000 cm2·V−1·s−1, thermal conductivity between 2000–4000 W m−1K−1 and optical transparency of 97.7%. (Eric Pop, 2012) (Sheehy DE, 2009)

ISO/TS 80004-13:2017(en) Nanotechnologies — Vocabulary — Part 13: Graphene and related two-dimensional (2D) materials. Recognizes material up to and including 10 carbon layers as “graphene”.

Definitions


Forms of Graphene

Graphene production methods can be classified broadly as “Top Down” and “Bottom Up”.

“Top Down” methods start with a feedstock material such as graphite and through various methods (physical, electrical, chemical, etc.) exfoliate individual layers of carbon.

“Bottom Up” methods start with a carbon feedstock such as methane gas that under controlled conditions (such as Chemical Vapor Deposition-CVD) is deposited on a substrate material (such as copper) in single or multiple layers.

Production


Forms of Graphene

A wide range of materials in the commercial market are currently referred to as “graphene”.

Graphene Materials

Number of Carbon Layers Description

1 CVD, Mono-layer or “Pristine” Graphene

1 - 3 Very Few Layer Graphene (vFLG)

2 - 5 Few Layer Graphene (FLG)

2 - 10 Multi-Layer Graphene (MLG)

> 10 Exfoliated graphite or “Graphene nanoplatelets” (GNP)


Forms of Graphene

Type CarbonLayers Properties/Applications Typicalcommercialcost($/KG) Commerciallyavailable

EpitaxialCVD 1-2 Conductive/almostTransparent/ITO?

Highendelectronics Upto$500,000/m²CVDsystems-Scaleup?Cost!ITO?

FLG 3-10 Conductor/flexible/veryhighsurfacearea/Sensors $100-2,000 Yes-consistency?

Processibility?

MLG 11-20 Composites/Inksandcoatings/Lubricants/Printing $50-1,500 Yes-variableproduct

today!

GO variousInsulator?AmorphousHydrophillic-dispersions

Defectsandvoids.Cement$50-2,000 InPart-stillevolvingbut

growing

GraphiteusedinGNPproduction 50+ Lubricants/Refactories/brakes/

Engineeringmaterials $1-20 Establishedfor150yearsApprox.1mtonnespa


Forms of Graphene

In addition to the number of carbon layers, additional characteristics define the material. Graphene Oxide (GO) - a compound of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen (typically approx. 65% carbon / 35% oxygen by weight).

Reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO) - Graphene Oxide in which removes much of the oxygen content resulting in approximately 95% carbon by weight.

Graphene Powder, Solution or Paste - Graphene material can be prepared in various physical forms including as a dry (usually black) powder, in solution (e.g. water or alcohol) or in a paste form (often as a dull reddish brown color).

Graphene Nano Platelets (GNPs) - GNPs typically have thickness of between 1 nm to 3 nm and lateral dimensions ranging from approximately 100 nm to 100 µm.

Functionalized Graphene - Chemical functionalization (adding specific elements to the surface of the graphene) is important in many applications where untreated graphene would be difficult to work with.

Graphene Materials


Sample Graphene Dispersion Routes

Graphene

Functionalization Functionalized Graphene

Solvent mixing with Plasticizer

Mechanical mixing with Plasticizer

Graphene / Plasticizer Solution

Graphene / Plasticizer

MasterbatchSolvent Removal

Compounding with Rubber

Graphene / Rubber Nano-composite

Dispersion with Surfactants

Graphene Liquid Premix Compounding into Polymer

Graphene Composite

Graphene / Plasticizer

MasterbatchCompounding with

RubberGraphene / Rubber

Nano-composite

Sources: Fullerex Ltd. and Cealtech Inc.

Dispersion into Monomer

Dispersion into ResinFunctionalized

Graphene Resin Masterbatch

Functionalized Graphene Monomer

Polymerization

CompoundingGraphene Composite

Graphene Composite


Forms of Graphene and “Quality”

There is widespread confusion about the definition of “Quality Graphene”.

Material that is not suitable for one application may be ideal for another.

Graphene “defects” may actually enhance the efficacy of the material for a particular application.

There is no such thing as a reference material for graphene at this time.

Because load factors can be quite low, the price of the material is not the most significant factor when selecting source material.

The primary factor is in selecting a trusted and competent supplier of the material that understands your application areas.


Examples of Graphene Enhanced Composites

and Applications

Graphene Enhanced Composites


Graphene Enhanced Composites

Of the more than 40 major application verticals for graphene, ‘Composites’ form the largest single application area.

Composites


Composite Application Areas

Graphene can be used to enhance performance in a wide range of applications;

Automotive

Rubber

Plastics

Aerospace

3D printing

Coatings and Barriers

Polymers and Epoxies

Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP)

Sports Equipment


Material Performance Characteristics

Graphene is used to provide enhanced performance;

Performance Improvement

Electrical Conductivity

Thermal Managment

UV Protection

Longer Wear

Anti-Static

Weight Reduction

Robustness

Mechanical Reinforcement

Flexibility

Barrier Properties

Sensors (Enabling self monitoring)


Graphene Application Examples

Partnering with the Callaway golf company, XG Science’s GNP’s are used in the development of a new golf ball designed to improve performance.Sports

Graphene-infused Dual SoftFast Core maximizes compression energy while minimizing driver-spin and promoting high launch for long distance

Softer golf balls compress easier on off center hits for distance all over the face

"We've innovated at every layer, starting with our groundbreaking new Graphene Dual SoftFast Core. The result is an extremely fast and soft-feeling ball that promotes high-launch and low spin off the tee for long distance, and incredible shot-stopping spin around the green.” – Dr. Alan Hocknell, SVP, R&D, Callaway Golf



FORD MOTOR CO.

Graphene will be used under the hood in Ford vehicles, a first in automotive.

Ford, Eagle Industries and XG Sciences have found a way to use a very small amount of graphene while achieving major property improvements – more lightweight, better heat conductivity and noise reduction.

In vehicles, graphene will act like a pair of super-powered, noise cancelling headphones, reducing sound inside the cabin and creating a quieter ride

Graphene-Enhanced Materials



AutomotiveFormulated to amplify the mechanical performance of both rigid and flexible PU foams

Produces stronger foams and reduces heat distortion

Can be used in a wider variety of applications due to increased heat deflection temperature

Enables lightweighting

Improved compression strength by 20%

Improved NVH (noise & vibration) by 17%Engin Covers

for thermal management

Graphene-Enhanced Polyurethane Foam



Versarien, an advanced materials engineering group, based in Cheltenham, UK, partnered with Bromley Technologies Ltd, from Rotherham, UK, to create a bronze medal winning skeleton sled for British Olympian Dominic Parsons. (FEB 2018)

Versarien and Composites used in the Olympics

Dr Kristan Bromley, CEO and innovation director of Bromley Technologies Ltd, says:

“Graphene-enhanced composites enable the structural properties of sports products to be pushed to new levels. In particular, they allow increased strength-to-weight ratio and tougher impact properties to be achieved over conventional advanced composite materials. In elite sports where small margins often define winning performances, these enhancements can make the difference between winning and losing.”



Graphene enhanced resin automotive body panel developed in collaboration with the UK supercar company, BAC, the team responsible for the award-winning BAC Mono single-seat car.

Haydale Composite Solutions (HCS)

The graphene-enhanced resin is stronger than traditional materials, which has enabled the reduction in the amount of fibers in the composite material.

Approximately 20% reductions in mass can improve performance and fuel economy in vehicles.



Haydale Composite Solutions produced graphene-enhanced electrically-conductive carbon fibre-reinforced composite materials (CFRP).

The objective was to provide improved resistance to damage from a severe lightning-strike event on critical aircraft parts.

Carbon fibre-reinforced composite (CFRP)



Test results, untreated versus graphene enhanced material.

Figure1:BackfaceofunmodifiedpanelaFerlightningstrikeshowingpunch-through

Figure2:BackfaceofHaydale-modifiedpanelsaFerlightningstrikeshowingnovisibledamage

Carbon fibre-reinforced composite (CFRP)



Carbon fibre-reinforced composite (CFRP)600% increase in through-thickness electrical conductivity of laminates with scope to increase by several orders of magnitude.

Strength properties equivalent or better than control material.

Demonstrator produced proving manufacturing and demonstrating a typical Lightning strike zone 2/3 application.

Potential for the reduction/elimination of parasitic mass (copper mesh) leading to lower manufacturing costs and mass saved.

Other areas of application:

EMC and RF Shielding application such as electronic enclosures

Anti-static, aircraft ducting and piping, interior

Most applications using CFRP/GRP that need metal coatings for reflectivity/conductivity



Potential Benefits (While maintaining same structural performance)

Reduced number of plies

Lighter weight

Lower material cost

Reduced process cost—less laminating time

Lower component cost

Results in overall lower cost composite materials for equivalent performance metrics.


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graphene and composite materials - stronger together

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