Applied Graphene Materials (AGM) has announced that its customer, Constellation Chemicals, has launched two new sealants in its car detailing product range enhanced with AGM’s graphene nanoplatelet technology.

The two products, Parallax, a graphene-enhanced ceramic sealant and Gravity, a graphene-enhanced snow sealant, launch after research and testing by Constellation Chemicals. The growing UK-based manufacturer of car care products claims that they offer performance enhancements such as hydrophobicity, chemical resistance to acid rain, road salt and bird lye and produce excellent durability, gloss, water repellence and beading.

Applied Graphene Materials (AGM) recently gave financial updates, as part of which the Company stated it is looking forward to stronger sales growth and has enough cash to fund operations well into 2023 after a £5.5 million fundraise in January.

AGM said it continues to develop its dispersed GNP technology platform and the potential to extend this to adjacencies applicable to the coatings sector. AGM added that significant progress has been made with coatings customers, and it is now starting to see repeat business with some long-range engagements.

A new research has shown that graphene is able to act on excitatory synapses and interfere with the development of anxiety-related behaviors. Carried out by SISSA International School for Advanced Studies of Trieste, Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2) of Barcelona, and the National Graphene Institute of the University of Manchester, in the framework of the European Graphene Flagship project, the research has shown that graphene has the ability to interact with the functions of the nervous system in vertebrates in a very specific manner. The researchers say that the material interrupts the build-up of a pathological process that leads to anxiety-related behavior.

Study leader, Laura Ballerini of SISSA, explained that previous research has shown that when graphene flakes are delivered to neurons, they interfere spontaneously with excitatory synapses by transiently preventing glutamate release from presynaptic terminals. Ballerini said: We investigated whether such a reduction in synaptic activity was sufficient to modify related behaviors, in particular the pathological ones that develop due to a transient and localized hyper-function of excitatory synapses.

Directa Plus progressed its partnership with U.S-based Lithium Sulphur batteries company NexTech Batteries by signing a 3-year Supply and Strategic R&D agreement for developing next-generation batteries for green mobility, grid storage, aviation and consumer products.

The Supply Agreement, based on a worldwide bilateral exclusivity in the lithium battery field, has an initial duration of three years, with an option to be extended for two years longer. The R&D Agreement, also with a duration of three years, provides for Joint Lab activities with the intention of developing new specific grades of G+ graphene nanoplatelets. Both parties will dedicate selected scientists from their R&D teams and part of their respective facilities to the enterprise.

A couple of months ago UK-based SpaceBlue launched a graphene-enhanced flooring product called SpaceMat. The company sent us a floor mat for review here at Graphene-Info.

Reviewing a floor mat isn't easy - there's not much to do with it, so we decided to use it in our home for a few months - and let nature and our family of six (plus a husky) do its thing. One of the promises of the SpaceMat is its enhanced durability, and we definitely put that to the test.

Applied Graphene Materials has announced that its customer, Halo Autocare, a leading innovator in car care products, has launched Graphene Alloy Wheel Wax as part of its EZ Car Care range of products. This is the second graphene-enhanced wax polish product launched by Halo Autocare as part of its Graphene Innovation Programme, which uses AGM’s Genable® graphene dispersion technology.

The microcrystalline wax-based polish is said to be the result of the continued partnership and a rigorous testing programme delivered by Halo Autocare. This has produced a new product that delivers extended performance benefits, including improved thermal and chemical resistance to enhance coating durability further for demanding wheel and exhaust applications. The temperature resistance made possible through the new graphene nanoplatelet formulation helps with durability when alloy wheels heat up from consistent brake use. Combining these attributes with excellent barrier performance means that water spotting is also less likely to occur.

University of Illinois researchers have used graphene to develop a rapid, ultrasensitive test using a paper-based electrochemical sensor that can detect the presence of the virus in less than five minutes.

Currently, we are experiencing a once-in-a-century life-changing event, said bioengineering graduate student and co-leader of the study, Maha Alafeef. We are responding to this global need from a holistic approach by developing multidisciplinary tools for early detection and diagnosis and treatment for SARS-CoV-2.

Directa Plus, which has recently signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with lithium sulphur batteries company NexTech Batteries, has announced that using its G+ pristine graphene nanoplatelets, NexTech managed to achieve more than 400 watt-hours per kilogram in a practical system, "the holy grail" for many battery applications.

NexTech produced several prototypes using its proprietary cathode and electrolyte materials producing 410Wh/kg of specific energy at a weight only slightly below 30 grams. For comparison, standard lithium-ion batteries have an energy density of 100-265 Wh/kg.

Researchers from the University of Nottingham’s Centre for Additive Manufacturing (CfAM) have reported a breakthrough in the study of 3D printing electronic devices with graphene.

Characterization of the fully inkjet‐printed graphene/hBN FET. Photo from article

The scientists utilized an inkjet-based 3D printing technique to deposit inks that contained flakes of graphene, in a promising step towards replacing single-layer graphene as a contact material for 2D metal semiconductors.

Italy-based Directa Plus recently signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with NexTech Batteries, a company active in the field of lithium sulphur batteries based in Nevada, US.

Under the terms of the agreement, Directa would supply its G+ graphene nanoplatelets to Nextech Batteries.