S.H. Santos, R. Wendelbo
Abalonyx,
Norway
Keywords: graphene oxide, corrosion control, water treatment, load speakers, composites
Summary:
Graphene oxide is now finally being used in a real industrial process, after more than 160 years existence. The Swedish company Provexa has commercialized a corrosion protection technology for auto-parts to be extended soon to heat exchangers and engines for boats. other up-coming applications comprise such diverse fields as load-speaker membranes, water remediation, composites, production of certain electronic components and sports equipments. Abalonyx has worked with graphene oxide production and development of graphene oxide derivatives for 11 years. We have developed a scalable, safe and cheap process and now produce 1.1 Kg/batch, soon to be increased to 2 Kg and then 6 Kg. Beyond 6 Kg, several identical reactors will be lined up instead of increasing the reactor size further. A range of derivative products have been developed and commercialized including deacidified and basic GO, partly and fully reduced rGO, rGO with BET surface area exceeding 1000 m2/g, nitrogen doped GO and rGO, films, aerogels and pillared GO and rGO. We work with our partners and customers to fine-tune our products for their applications. One example is the optimization of GO to be used as stabilizing agent for sulfur in LiS-batteries, where we work with Norwegian start-up Graphene Batteries. Industrial end-users have certain requirements that researchers in university R&D labs do not consider on a daily basis. Any ingredient or component used must be readily available and conforming to agreed specs, price must be affordable, health and environmental issues are important concerns as well as waste management. To meet those requiremnts is fundamentally important for the eventiual successful commercialization of a product.