When two researchers from Manchester, Andre Geim and Kostya Novoselov, characterized graphene in 2004, no one thought that they would be rewarded with one of the highest accolades in science, the Nobel prize. Since then, several research works have revealed the unique electronic properties and exceptional physical and chemical properties of this carbon allotrope, making it highly relevant for a range of industrial applications. However, businesses still find it challenging to manufacture quantities of single layer graphene.

Enter Applied Graphene Materials (AGM). The company has made significant strides in the development and application of the “few-layer” nanoplatelet form of graphene, dispersing it for clients across the coatings, composites, and functional materials (thermally conductive adhesives and low friction bearings) sectors. “We apply various concepts of chemistry to graphene as a nanoplatelet format material to make it usable in practical applications,” says Adrian Potts, the CEO at AGM.

AGM was founded by Professor Karl Coleman in 2010, leveraging the unique operations and processes he initially developed at Durham University. He found a practical way to commercialize nanoplatelet graphene materials in a repeatable and high-quality manufacturing environment. Using the patented process, AGM produces high-quality graphene nanoplatelets and dispersions for various industry applications. “We focus on practical applications of graphene materials by popularizing dispersed graphene materials and by backing this up with significant proof-of-concept data” mentions Potts.

As an alternative to mining and exfoliation, AGM uses a synthesized process to produce its graphene. The company has invested significant time and effort in research to develop its patent-protected technology to produce graphene, and has introduced major technological advances in the application of its materials, adding performance-enhancing characteristics to a range of product categories. AGM supplies user-friendly dispersions that are easy and safe to handle and which adapt graphene for various industrial applications.

AGM provides the know-how to customers, enabling them to use the material by dispersing it in various solvents, resins and even water. This allows businesses to utilize the standard products easily and add graphene into their formulation in a consistent, repeatable manner. Also, keeping clients’ various formulation needs in mind, AGM brings customized products enabling them to use the material in a particular dispersion solution required for a specific industry application.

AGM’s customers report transformative performance benefits when their standard and custom graphene dispersions are used in various applications, including anti-corrosion coatings, car care, composite materials, lubricants, functional materials, and more. Coatings last substantially longer compared to traditional anti-corrosion coatings used to protect metals and other surfaces. That’s why AGM’s products have appeal in a breadth of coating applications, where corrosion deterioration and chemical resistance is a crucial consideration. Their products have also found their way into enhancing the mechanical performance of composite materials. These capabilities stem from their innovation in developing customized dispersions that suit various applications.

In one instance, AGM helped Blocksil, a leading coating manufacturer, develop an anti-corrosion paint for protecting steel surfaces. After spending time researching and testing, their collaborative partnership with AGM led to the development of graphene-enhanced anti-corrosion paint, Graphene Enhanced Top Coat MT. The client is now seeing large potential for its Graphene Enhanced Top Coat MT as corrosion-resistant coating across all manner of structural steel industries worldwide. Moreover, the success of their product has resulted in a number of significant customer approvals.

As AGM focuses heavily on promoting its dispersion technology, the company has successfully popularized a mature product range that can be used easily and safely by a customer. With their success in bringing standard and custom products in a few years, AGM has transformed from being a small business to an organization with a global distribution platform. Recently, they expanded their sales team and distribution network aimed at introducing graphene to a broader spectrum of the industry. Moving ahead, the company plans to introduce its dispersed graphene materials to an ever-broadening application opportunity. “With cutting-edge innovation, we continue to harness the immense potential of our graphene nanoplatelet dispersions in various industry applications,” concludes Potts.