Graphene Coating: introduction and market status
What is a coating?
A coating is a covering that is applied to the surface of an object. The purpose of applying the coating may be decorative, functional, or both. Coatings are ubiquitous and can be found on walls, furniture, on all sorts of wires and printed circuits, the outside of houses and cars, and much more. In addition, the decorative duties of coatings span quite a broad spectrum.
Decorative coatings are mainly used for their color, texture or other visual property. Functional coatings are applied to change the surface properties of the substrate, such as adhesion, wettability, corrosion resistance, wear resistance and more. In some cases, the coating adds an entirely new property such as a magnetic response or electrical conductivity and forms an essential part of the finished product.
Coatings may be used in various processes, that are roughly divided into: vapor deposition, spraying, chemical and electrochemical techniques, roll-to-roll coating processes and other, less prominent techniques.
What is graphene?
Graphene is a two dimensional layer of carbon atoms, arranged in the form of a honeycomb lattice. It is touted as a “miracle material†because it is endowed with an abundance of astonishing traits - this thin, one atom thick substance is the lightest, strongest, thinnest material known to man, as well as the best heat and electricity conductor ever discovered - and the list does not end there. Graphene is the subject of relentless research and is thought to be able to revolutionize whole industries, as researchers work on many different kinds of graphene-based materials - each one with unique qualities and purpose.
Graphene for coatings
The vast array of extraordinary properties that graphene possesses can open the door to many interesting types of coatings, paints, inks and more. Graphene's high resistivity can make for durable coatings that do not crack and are resistant to water and oil; its excellent electrical and thermal conductivity can be used to make various conductive paints, and a strong barrier effect can contribute to extraordinary anti-oxidant, scratch-resistant and anti-UVA coatings.
Graphene enables a wide array of functional coatings and paints, for many possible applications. Among these can be high performance adhesives enabled by graphene's high adhesion property, anti-bacterial coatings, solar paints (capable of absorbing solar energy and transmitting it), paints that provide isolation for houses, anti-rust coatings, anti-fog paints and UV ray blockers, non-stick coatings for various domestic applications (like frying pans and countertops) and even a much-hyped possibility (currently under scientific examination) of a coating that turns a regular wall into a screen.
There are already companies that are selling graphene coatings commercially, while many others are in the testing stage. Uses vary, but graphene coatings can be found in the automotive and marine vehicles fields, and others as well.
Further reading
- Introduction to graphene
- Graphene Composites
- Graphene company database
- How to invest in the graphene revolution
- The Graphene Handbook, our very own guide to the graphene market
GMG's graphene coating boosts air conditioning performance in Australian residential project
Graphene Manufacturing Group (GMG) has announced that its THERMAL-XR graphene coating solution is being applied to air conditioning units at two luxury residential towers under construction on Australia’s Gold Coast in Queensland. The project involves coating between 300 and 600 air conditioners at GMG’s spray booth facility in Brisbane.
The company said the coating is designed to improve energy efficiency, reduce corrosion and extend the operating life of HVAC equipment. "Great to see two of the largest towers in Australia using THERMAL-XR on their air conditioners to save energy for the apartment owners and tenants as well as limiting corrosion and extending the air conditioners' life,” GMG CEO Craig Nicol said in a statement.
Plaid Technologies provides update on graphene coating initiative for drone systems
Plaid Technologies has provided an update on its ongoing collaboration with Graphene Nano Works (“GNW”) to evaluate and advance a proprietary graphene-based coating technology designed to enhance the performance, survivability, and stealth characteristics of next-generation drone systems across aerial, marine, and ground domains.
As part of these ongoing efforts, the Company has recently delivered a batch of its high-quality graphene materials to Dr. Ian Flint for testing and validation in coating applications relevant to drone systems. This work is intended to further assess performance characteristics and support the continued advancement of discussions regarding a potential joint venture between the parties.
Sparc Technologies announces AkzoNobel commercial launch of ecosparc graphene-enhanced additive in Australia
Sparc Technologies has announced a commercial milestone for its graphene-based ecosparc additive, with AkzoNobel planning to release an ecosparc‑enhanced version of its heavy-duty Interzone 954 protective coating in the Australian market starting May 2026.
AkzoNobel will initially offer the ecosparc-enhanced Interzone 954 on a made-to-order basis via its local manufacturing facility in Australia. The launch follows more than six years of ecosparc research and development by Sparc, alongside several years of collaboration with AkzoNobel that has included extensive laboratory testing and over 21 months of field trials on steel infrastructure in corrosive environments.
Royalton and PETRONAS partner to validate graphene-enhanced underwater epoxy coating for corrosion protection
Royalton Coating Systems has announced a collaboration with PETRONAS Technology Ventures (PTVSB), the technology commercialization arm of Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS), to validate a graphene-enhanced underwater epoxy coating aimed at improving corrosion protection in marine and industrial environments.
The partnership focuses on upgrading Royalton’s ROYALPOXY UW 410 underwater epoxy system with ProShield+™, a graphene-based additive developed by PETRONAS. The enhanced coating is currently undergoing evaluation for use in harsh conditions, including offshore platforms, pipelines, jetty structures, and marine vessels - applications where continuous exposure to seawater, humidity, and chemicals significantly accelerates material degradation.
First Graphene to acquire key assets of Ionic Industries and Imagine Intelligent Materials
First Graphene (FGR) has announced it has entered a binding Asset Purchase Agreement to acquire all manufacturing, intellectual property and development assets of Ionic Industries and its subsidiary Imagine Intelligent Materials. FGR views this acquisition as a strategic and cost-efficient opportunity to integrate advanced graphene coatings technologies developed over more than a decade of research and commercialization activity.
Following a comprehensive due diligence process, First Graphene identified strong technical and commercial alignment with the Companies' graphene formulation platforms, which have already demonstrated successful application across multiple real-world use cases. Under the Agreement, First Graphene will acquire production infrastructure, intellectual property, and established sales and distribution channels for a total consideration of AU$250,000 (around US$180,000) in cash and shares.
Sparc and HydroGraph collaborate on graphene-enhanced coatings
Sparc Technologies has entered into a Letter of Intent (LOI) with HydroGraph Clean Power to evaluate the use of HydroGraph’s Fractal Graphene in Sparc’s ecosparc® additives for protective coatings.
The LOI follows successful testing undertaken by Sparc incorporating HydroGraph’s Fractal Graphene within commercial water-based coating systems, which demonstrated positive performance benefits. Following execution of the LOI, Sparc will undertake ISO 12944 cyclic corrosion testing (4,200 hours) within commercially available solvent-based coatings. ISO 12944 is widely recognized as the premier international standard for assessing the corrosion protection of steel structures by protective coating systems. Subject to successful testing outcomes, the parties intend to negotiate a definitive commercial supply and collaboration agreement relating to Sparc’s ecosparc® additives.
GMG secures US EPA approval for THERMAL-XR coating
Graphene Manufacturing Group (GMG) has announced that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved the import and sale of its THERMAL-XR graphene-based coating system in the US. The EPA issued a consent order under section 5(e) of the Toxic Substances Control Act, allowing GMG to export, distribute, sell, use and dispose of the chemical substance described in its pre-manufacture notice.
The product is used in GMG's THERMAL-XR ENHANCE coating system for applications including heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration, data centers, liquefied natural gas plants, automotive and electronics. GMG supplies the coating to its exclusive North American distributor, Nu-Calgon Wholesaler, which markets it as “Nu-Calgon CoolWorx powered by GMG Graphene.” The first shipment will now be sent to Nu-Calgon for distribution.
GIT Coatings launches graphene-enhanced coating for efficient maritime operations
GIT Coatings has announced the launch of XGIT-FORCE, a graphene-based hard foul-release coating designed to enhance marine vessel efficiency while supporting sustainable operations. The innovative solution is reportedly biocide-free, zero-leaching, and engineered to reduce fuel consumption and emissions without releasing harmful chemicals or microplastics into the marine environment.
XGIT-FORCE aims to provide a measurable impact on vessel performance, offering fuel savings of up to 10% compared with traditional antifouling coatings. By maintaining smoother hull surfaces and reducing drag, ships can operate more efficiently, lowering operational costs while meeting growing environmental and regulatory demands in the shipping industry.
Novel graphene-enhanced spray coating enables efficient structural health monitoring in demanding environments
Researchers from China's Northeastern University, Shenyang Jusheng New Material Technology, Key Laboratory of Medical Image Computing, Shenyang Aerospace University and Australia's University of New South Wales have developed a polyurea-based nanocomposite spray sensing coating reinforced with covalently functionalized graphene nanoplatelets, offering a scalable solution for structural health monitoring in demanding environments.
Preparation and Main Properties of Graphene NanoPlatelet-functionalized Polyurea Coatings.
Structural health monitoring (SHM) in harsh and complex conditions remains challenging, as conventional sensors often lack conformability, mechanical durability, and long-term stability. In their recent study, the team outlines a new approach - a spray-applied polyurea nanocomposite sensing coating that integrates functionalized graphene nanoplatelets to combine robust mechanical performance with reliable, real-time damage and strain monitoring for infrastructure and automotive structures.
Sparc announces first commercial sale of its ecosparc® graphene additive
Sparc Technologies has announced the first commercial sale of its flagship graphene-based additive, ecosparc®, for use in solvent-based protective coatings.
The purchase order was made by an Asian coatings company following recently completed proof-of-concept testing conducted in their laboratories. The testing reportedly demonstrated improved performance utilizing the ecosparc® additive when compared to other graphene products and unmodified coating formulations. This milestone builds on recent momentum behind ecosparc® including R&D collaborations with Dulux and Aramco in addition to field trials which are being undertaken with BHP Mitsubishi Alliance, Santos and the Government of South Australia, among others.
