Graphitic materials provider First Graphene said it is slated to begin one of the world’s largest-scale trials of graphene-enhanced green cement in June.
The ASX-listed company received significant funding from Innovate UK, amounting to GBP 190,034 (AUD 351,707), to add graphene to the cement production line using a range of additions methods with minimal changes to the existing plant.
The trial will seek to find a simple, low-cost method of introducing graphene to industrial-scale cement production processes.
First Graphene will conduct the experiment with a consortium that includes Breedon Cement, Morgan Sindall Construction, and The University of Manchester, with support from UK Government’s Transforming Foundation Industries program.
Beginning in June, the company said it plans to produce approximately 2,000 tonnes of graphene-enhanced cement at Breedon, which will be marked for use in real-world demonstrations.
The experiment will measure the cement’s performance as a binder in mortar and concrete systems prior to use in real-world demonstrations by Morgan Sindall Construction, a leading British construction and regeneration group.
The University of Manchester has analysed data from Breedon and FGR production sites and found graphene-enhanced cement to both offset CO2 and demonstrate potential mechanical benefits, even at graphene loading levels less than 0.06 per cent.
“Our research and development in collaboration with some of the world’s most innovative materials technology organisations, coupled with buy-in from industry partners to trial our graphene products, sets the foundation for a strong commercialisation pathway,” said Michael Bell, managing director and CEO of First Graphene.
“Greening of the concrete and cement sector provides our company a great opportunity to strengthen both our revenue and ultimately profitability as market demand for decarbonisation technologies and materials increases,” Bell said.
First Graphene has secured a one-tonne order of PureGRAPH for a further trial in graphene-enhanced concrete, which is expected to be executed within the fourth quarter of 2023.
The company said the order, although not material to First Graphene’s financial results, marks an important step in scaling up to meet the increased requirements of the cement and concrete segment.
