Brazil's Development Of Next Generation Super-strong Graphene-reinforced Plastics Could Save 30% Of Raw Materials

Gerdau Graphene, a nanotechnology company that provides advanced graphene-reinforced materials for industrial applications, announced that it has created the next generation of graphene-reinforced plastics at an advanced materials center funded by the Brazilian government in Sao Paulo, Brazil, This new graphene-reinforced polymeric resin masterbatch formulation for polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) was created in collaboration with the Advanced Materials Division of EMBRAPII SENAI/SP in Brazil and is currently undergoing a series of industrial application trials at Gerdau Graphene's factory. New thermoplastic products produced using these formulations will be more powerful and provide better overall performance, while at the same time being cheaper to produce and producing significantly less waste throughout the value chain.

Graphene, considered the strongest substance on Earth, is a dense sheet of carbon between one and 10 atoms thick that can be modified for a variety of uses and added to industrial materials. Since its discovery in 2004, graphene's extraordinary chemical, physical, electrical, thermal and mechanical properties have attracted worldwide attention, and its discoverers were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Graphene can be mixed with plastic to give it incredible strength, making the combined plastic even stronger. In addition to improving physical and mechanical properties, graphene can enhance its barrier properties against liquids and gases, protect against weathering, oxidation and ultraviolet light, and enhance electrical and thermal conductivity.

Gerdau Graphene is developing Graphene additives for native resins as well as post-consumer recycled plastics and polymers, including PP, PE, PS, PC and PVC, among others. In the United States alone, approximately 8 million tons of PP and 23 million tons of PE are produced each year. A 30% reduction in the amount of PP and PE materials needed to make these final plastic products would mean 9.3 million fewer tons of PP and PE plastic would be consumed and ultimately discarded each year.

"Plastic is an important raw material. At present, almost all products in various industries in the world are inseparable from plastic materials. Its invention has completely changed the way of life of human beings. Our biggest challenge is how to make plastics better by improving the quality of the materials, reducing the cost and increasing the sustainability of the whole life cycle, and now we are achieving all these goals." Alexandre Correa, CEO of Gerdau Graphene, said, 'By adding special Graphene additives to the thermoplastic formula, plastic manufacturers can produce stronger and more durable plastic products at a very low cost, while consuming less oil and raw materials. Because less plastic is needed to produce the final product, less plastic goes to waste after consumption. There are also downstream impacts, including reduced production waste, energy consumption and transportation costs. And in the circular economy, in the near future, graphene could be extracted from recycled plastic and reused."