Construction materials

Argo Graphene Solutions has reported encouraging initial performance results from its graphene oxide (GO) cement additive program, using graphene produced through the proprietary STREAM™ graphene production platform licensed exclusively from Grapherry. 

In its initial testing, Argo found that adding only 0.05 wt.% graphene oxide - roughly five parts GO per 10,000 parts cement by weight - increased ultimate compressive strength by approximately 60% compared to control samples. Testing used ASTM-standard 2-inch by 2-inch cement specimens cured for seven days prior to compression testing, and the Company reports that the results were reproduced consistently across multiple independent test batches.

First Graphene has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The Sixth Element (Changzhou) Material Technology to accelerate the commercialization of its PureGRAPH® CEM cement additive in China. The agreement positions Sixth Element as First Graphene’s key distribution partner in the Chinese cement and concrete market, one of the largest and most carbon‑intensive construction sectors globally.

Under the MoU, Sixth Element will distribute PureGRAPH® CEM across China, with exclusivity linked to the achievement of defined annual sales targets. The structure is designed to scale quickly: once 200 tonnes of PureGRAPH® CEM have been sold in China, the parties intend to negotiate either a joint venture or licensing agreement to manufacture the additive locally at a dedicated facility. 

Concretene, the Manchester‑based DeepTech company developing graphene‑enhanced, low‑carbon concrete, has been named a winner in Ofwat’s sixth Water Breakthrough Challenge. The winning project, “Splitting Biogas, Multiplying Value,” is led by UK water utility United Utilities and aims to show how wastewater biogas can be converted into clean hydrogen and high‑value graphene, then used across construction, energy storage and transport applications.

Within this project, Concretene will use sustainably produced, UK‑sourced graphene derived from wastewater biogas in its concrete admixture technology, targeting significant reductions in cement content and embodied carbon while maintaining or improving performance. Concretene has been awarded £1 million out of a total £9.5 million funding package, which will support further product development, testing and early deployment of graphene‑enhanced concrete in real‑world infrastructure projects.

United Utilities has secured £9.5 million in funding from Ofwat’s sixth Water Breakthrough Challenge to scale up its biogas‑to‑graphene technology and demonstrate how wastewater can become a major source of advanced materials and clean hydrogen. The company will build on a world‑first trial to produce clean hydrogen and graphene from sewage‑derived biogas, aiming to move from pilot to full‑scale deployment and open new commercial routes for graphene in construction and energy storage.

Having already proven the concept with technology partner Levidian, United Utilities will now install a larger unit designed to produce roughly three times more sustainable hydrogen and graphene than the earlier demonstration system. The project is one of 19 winners in Ofwat’s latest Water Breakthrough Challenge round, with United Utilities leading two projects and partnering on nine more, all focused on turning wastewater streams into valuable resources.

Researchers from UCLA, Arizona State University and Technical University of Munich (TUM) recently showed how carefully controlling the dispersion of graphene oxide (GO) in cementitious mixtures can deliver stronger, more durable, and potentially lower‑carbon concrete. Their work demonstrates that performance depends more on how uniformly GO sheets are distributed than on how much GO is added.

GO is known to enhance the mechanical properties of cement‑based materials, but previous results have often been inconsistent because GO tends to aggregate in the highly alkaline, ion‑rich pore solution of cement. Aggregation drastically reduces GO’s exposed surface area and limits its interaction with the cement matrix. By systematically linking GO’s dispersion state in solution to rheology and compressive strength, the researchers show that strength enhancement is governed by accessible surface area, not just dosage.

Plaid Technologies has announced significant progress in the development of its graphene-infused concrete composite (Plaid-GCC) technology, demonstrating performance improvements in laboratory testing.

"We're witnessing a perfect storm in the construction materials market," said Guy Bourgeois, Chief Executive Officer of Plaid Technologies. "Infrastructure spending is at historic highs, labor shortages are driving time-to-completion pressures, and increasingly stringent building requirements coupled with new carbon regulations are making traditional cement increasingly expensive. Our laboratory results indicate that graphene-enhanced concrete will be transformational - potentially essential for contractors who need to build faster, cleaner, stronger."

Volt Carbon Technologies has provided an update on its operations, highlighting ongoing commercialization efforts and expanded activities in graphene-related materials.

Over the past three years, Volt has generated modest revenues through mineral processing services and advanced materials development programs, as reported in its Management’s Discussion and Analysis filings. While these revenues have not been material, they have helped offset a portion of operating costs as the company continues to prioritize process development and commercial readiness.

Plaid Technologies has announced three developments aimed at supporting its commercialization strategy: a new graphene supply agreement, a marketing services engagement, and a non-brokered private placement.

The company has entered into a 24-month definitive agreement with a European producer of high-quality graphene, securing expanded access under a tiered pricing structure:

• Up to CA$4 million at $90 per gram
• An additional CA$6 million at $85 per gram
• A further CA$10 million at $80 per gram

The new agreement follows a prior purchase of approximately CA$1.14 million of graphene at CA$130 per gram, reflecting a significant reduction in cost as volumes increase and the commercial relationship matures.

First Graphene (FGR) has announced results from its first production trial of graphene enhanced roof tiles with the UK's largest precast concrete manufacturer and supplier FP McCann.

The five-month project used 40 tonnes of PureGRAPH® enhanced cement, developed by First Graphene's partner Breedon Group, to produce more than 10,000 tiles at FP McCann's Cadeby manufacturing facility in the UK. The final graphene-enhanced cement roof tiles were tested for quality, efficiency and carbon emission reduction potential, as well as performance consistency.

Grapherry has entered a collaboration with the University of Illinois Chicago to advance scalable graphene manufacturing for industry.

A key part of this partnership revolves around testing the quality of the graphene produced at Grapherry for application-specific properties such as electrical conductivity and structural characteristics. The goal is to work together to accelerate materials validation, application development, and pathways to industrial deployment across sectors such as energy storage, construction, agriculture, and advanced composites.