Innovation

The graphene additive improves the mechanical performance of materials in terms of strength, hardness, flexibility, greater impermeability, and protection against external agents, as well as better performance of the raw materials required. All this added to other innovative properties such as thermal and electrical conductivity or its bactericidal behavior. The result: more durable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly constructions.

It is important to mention how this innovation goes hand in hand with Goal 9 ( Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation), as long as they develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and trans-border infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being. Graphenano also helps promoting sustainable industrialization and helps with the objective of upgrading infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable by 2030, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes

In SmartMaterials, the properties of the additive mean that less material (cement) is needed, less CO2, and much more durability. The Smart Additives line of admixtures is designed to transfer the mechanical properties of graphene to concrete, offering improvements in compressive stresses of over 30% and flexural stresses of over 45%. This translates into: Increased earthquake safety, increased work productivity thanks to the acquisition of higher strengths in less time, possibility of concreting at low temperatures without risk, lighter structures and prefabricated parts, improvement of thermal conductivity, improved compressive strength, improved flexural strength, improved durability and no change in the consistency and appearance of fresh concrete. And in relation to advantages of Floor Graphene Conductivity over other alternatives: Improved energy efficiency, reduced Co2 emissions for housing conditioning - Lower cost of installation and execution than anhydrite and large cost savings in energy consumption.

Inspiration

They started researching graphene manufacturing systems when Mr. Rovira’s brother saw a documentary on the Discovery Channel about the Nobel Prize being awarded to two Russian scientists at the University of Manchester. This was the moment when graphene caught their attention and they began to delve into it.

The brothers hired a research team at the UCLM university in Ciudad Real to start working on it. To some extent, the inspiration for innovation in applications has come from giving a considerable amount of graphene to different universities so that they could research their projects and present their results to the company.

“In concrete, for example, innovation came from the persistence of a student from UCAM-Murcia, who wanted to 'put' graphene in concrete additives to make them more resistant, Juan Angel Ruiz, who now directs the Graphenano SmartMaterials division” (Jose Antonio Martínez Rovira, 10/20/2022).

Overall impact

The innovation is being implemented now, SmartMaterials is sold in Germany, in the Philippines, Colombia, and soon the team will travel to Cleveland to close a deal with one of the largest manufacturers in the world to expand throughout America.

In the end, for the last year and a half Graphenano Nanotechnologies have centralized R&D in Yecla and they have created a joint development group so as not to depend on some universities. The company has 4-5 new applications that will see the light of day in the next few weeks, such as superconducting textile yarn, conductive liquids, supercapacitors, nanotechnological materials for the energy industry (batteries), or the manufacture of computer chips.

Graphenano smart materials is having a great impact in the short term. Many companies where concrete used to stand out (construction companies) are beginning to realize the good function of graphene and how well it replaces previous materials, highlighting the fact that it is also sustainable. In the long term it is also known that it will have an impact, since it is much more sustainable than other materials due to its durability. It is because of the confidence that this material gives that many people rely on it. You can check all this by the news that has come out during the previous months and years, which has all been collected on the Graphenano NanoTechnologies website.

Business benefit

"We used to think about making graphene in many different forms, but in the end it has ended up only in powder form, different types of graphene but in powder form, now we do not manufacture sheets except for some tests” (Jose Antonio Martínez Rovira, 10/20/2022).

After a year and a half of having graphene, Graphenano saw that companies did not want graphene because they did not know how to use it or had issues working with it. That was when they hired two engineers to look for our own applications. Everything was financed by selling shares to maintain the company's research and operating expenses. Those two engineers and the gift of graphene to universities for research was what led Graphenano Nanotechnologies to find new applications and products that are being launched.

The company is not in profit because it works in holding mode. The matrix Graphenano provides services to the subsidiaries such as marketing, administration, accounting, tax, legal, etc., and they pay for these services to the subsidiary. The matrix now charges the subsidiaries that are already selling and invoicing products for all these services, for example, this year 2022 several of the subsidiaries will close with a profit, such as the one we are focusing on; Graphenano SmartMaterials.

The matrix ‘Graphenano’ also invoices the subsidiaries for the graphene they consume for their applications, with a transfer price established according to the application, the Dental subsidiary does not consume the same graphene as SmartMaterials or Medical, for example.

Social and environmental benefit

"Graphenano Nanotechnologies and their subsidiaries, benefit enormously Society and environment thanks to all applications we have found and the ones we are currently researching" (Jose Antonio Martínez Rovira, 10/20/2022).

Graphenano Smart Materials is now working on the manufacture of additives with graphene technology for advanced construction materials such as concrete and special cements. Improving concrete’s attributes as well as making a better performance of the raw materials is required. All this added to other innovative properties such as thermal and electrical conductivity, and its bactericidal behavior is very helpful.

This improvement in the attributes of building materials not only translates into improved performance, but also benefits humans in terms of their well-being and safety, and the environment - reducing the carbon footprint. The constructions can be more environmentally friendly and also last longer. Graphene also increases earthquake safety and work productivity, due to the acquisition of higher strengths in less time, allowing concreting at low temperatures without risk.

Due to their improved mechanical properties, composites made with graphene resins provide greater efficiency to the applications that use them, which also benefits the companies that use them with a series of competitive advantages: Graphene creates greener and more environmentally friendly production processes, largely due to the reduction of raw materials, and is mainly derived from oil and petroleum. Also, graphene aids in the elimination of hydrolysis, and all the problems that that entails. Finally, due to the conductivity of graphene, thermal production processes are improved (isothermal).

Interview

Jose Antonio Martínez Rovira, Vice-chairman of the Graphenano group, shareholder and member of the board of directors.