First Graphene Ltd. recently signed an agreement with newGen to supply 3 metric tons of its PureGRAPH products. These will be used by newGen for the manufacture of wear linings used in bucket wheels, pipe spools and conveyor applications for the mining business. Blending PureGRAPH® graphene in powder form with existing elastomers, according Frist Graphene, provides considerable mechanical improvements to the material, including enhanced tensile and tear strength, plus far greater abrasion resistance. It also extends the life of wear liners.
“This is another important contract for the company as we commercialize the use of graphene in a growing number of industry sectors, from elastomers to concrete,” said Craig McGuckin, managing director for First Graphene. “In particular, it highlights the importance [of working with a] supplier with an integrated supply chain, from wholly owned mine through to high volume graphene production capability.”
First Graphene sees the worldwide mining and quarrying sectors as important areas of future growth. The company is working with a number of partners to develop new polyurethane elastomers and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) derivatives, to retain and improve mechanical properties while also providing new characteristics such as fire retardancy. It is expected that continuing work with suppliers to the mining industry will result in many more applications being adopted into the near term.
