First Graphene

Australia-based First Graphene (FGR) will be kicking off one of the world’s largest graphene-enhanced green cement trials, supported by the UK Government’s £66 million Transforming Foundation Industries (TFI) program. FGR is leading the consortium running the trial, which also involves Breedon Cement, Morgan Sindall and the University of Manchester.

Receiving significant funding from Innovate UK through a £190,034 grant, graphene will be added to the cement production line using a range of additions methods with minimal changes to the existing plant. A key aim of the trial is to find a simple, low-cost method of introducing graphene to
industrial scale cement production processes.

It was recently reported that First Graphene is working with solar company Greatcell Australia on graphene enhancements to perovskite solar cell technology. 

Perovskites are a family of materials with a unique crystal structure that have potential for many applications, the most prominent of which is low cost, efficient solar cells. Greatcell Australia has established a pilot plant in New South Wales and is in the advanced stages of testing its range of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with manufacturers around the world. Greatcell is aiming to fit its modular production lines into 40-foot shipping containers, due in part to the easier assembly and reduced number of steps to produce PSCs compared to silicon solar cells.

First Graphene Limited has entered into a joint development agreement (JDA) with fellow ASX-listed company Suvo Strategic Minerals Limited, to research and develop low emission cement and concrete products.

The agreement aims to investigate the potential for further improvements in CO₂ emission reductions by combining the already successful outcomes achieved from the addition of graphene to cement and concrete with Suvo’s metakaolin (a pozzolanic material derived from fine kaolinite clay that can be used as a partial replacement for clinker in cement) to deliver strength and performance improvements to concrete and mortar products.

First Graphene has announced it has secured grant funding, in conjunction with the University of Manchester (UoM), for the next stage of research into commercializing graphene-enhanced supercapacitor materials.

Awarded through Innovate UK’s “Accelerated Knowledge Transfer to Innovate” scheme (AKT2I),
the grant will be used to fund a project intended to accelerate development and optimization of a
graphene-metal-oxide slurry for manufacturing high energy density supercapacitors.

First Graphene will be developing and marketing a unique heating device using its PureGRAPH graphene, along with UK-based ZEBCO Heating. The parties have signed a joint development agreement (JDA) to develop the device, which is suitable for new installations or retrofitted into existing domestic and commercial heater systems.

ZEBCO has secured an initial $87,000 grant from Innovate UK’s Fast Start Innovation Fund to fund feasibility studies and develop a proof-of-concept unit within the next six months. The device is expected to deliver energy efficiency savings, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and be an enabler to more resilient and secure domestic heating supply.

First Graphene will work with the Breedon Group, Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure and the University of Manchester to develop a new reduced-CO₂ graphene-enhanced cement. The consortium is currently formulating the cement using varying doses of First Graphene’s PureGRAPH graphene-enhanced grinding aid. The project received a research grant from the UK government earlier in 2022.

First Graphene says that the study involves one of the largest commercial trials of its kind to date globally.

First Graphene (FGR) says that its fourth quarter (FY22) revenues reached a record 359,000 AUD. Its full-year (FY2022) revenues increased 111% to $723,000 AUD.

First Graphene says that its strong performance in the last quarter was driven by several significant orders for its graphene materials, and also new application/research development services. The composites and plastics segments contributed 46% of its revenues in the quarter, followed by cement/concrete (31%). Coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers contributed 12%.

First Graphene (FGR) has announced that it has signed an exclusive technology partnership deal with U.S-based NeoGraf Solutions to develop and grow the graphene market in the U.S.

Under the 10-year agreement, graphite materials provider NeoGraf will sell First Graphene’s PureGRAPH products under the U.S company’s Graf-X brand, which has an established reputation in the U.S market, according to First Graphene.

First Graphene has signed a collaboration agreement with Mayur Resources to develop low-carbon cement products using PureGRAPH-enhanced grinding aids and performance improvers.

The agreement will cover three years of knowledge exchange through research and development work collaboration between the two companies.

First Graphene-led consortium of partners has been awarded a UK Government grant to develop high performance graphene-enhanced cement.

The grant of A$360,206 (around USD$258,500) was awarded by the UK Government’s innovation agency, Innovate UK to the consortium, which includes construction materials group Breedon Cement Ltd, construction and regeneration group Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure Ltd, and the University of Manchester’s Department of Mechanical, Civil and Aerospace Engineering.