Japanese Giant Invests in Producer of Graphene Nanotubes (2024)

Japanese giant Daikin Industries Ltd. has become a shareholder of the world’s largest producer of graphene nanotubes, OCSiAl, following three years of collaboration in developing graphene nanotube applications as a next-generation additive. Together, the companies are determined to develop high-performance materials and establish new markets.

The signing of an agreement between Daikin Industries, a world-leading air conditioning company and pioneer in fluorine technologies, and OCSiAl was supported by prior joint developments and market evaluation. In accordance with the terms of the agreement, the valuation of OCSiAl is about $2 billion.

Along with the subscription, the two companies have signed a cooperation agreement to develop, produce, and market graphene nanotube solutions for next-generation Li-ion batteries and fluoropolymers, which comprise a substantial part of Daikin’s business. Graphene nanotubes demonstrate exceptional performance and definitive advantages over standard additives, opening-up new horizons for these applications.

Graphene nanotubes, or single-wall carbon nanotubes, are one-atom-thick graphene sheets rolled into tubes. This unique material, which enables the creation of products with new sets of properties, was historically observed and described for the first time by Japanese scientists. OCSiAl says it is the only company to have created a technology that allows production of graphene nanotubes for large-scale commercial applications. The combination of OCSiAl’s and Daikin’s expertise and know-how could result in a fundamental shift in the global industry.

Headquartered in Luxembourg, OCSiAl Group has more than 420 employees worldwide in countries including the United States, Europe, China, Russia, India, Japan, and South Korea. Current annual production capacity is 80 metric tonnes, which accounts for 97% of the world’s graphene nanotube production capacity. In 2024, the company will launch the first stage of a new synthesis facility in Luxembourg with an annual capacity of up to 100 tonnes.

OCSiAl develops graphene nanotube solutions for composites and plastics, electrochemical power sources, elastomers, and paints and coatings. Graphene nanotubes have been acknowledged as an industrial standard in various sectors: For instance, 10 out of 10 of the world’s largest Li-ion battery makers develop cells with OCSiAl nanotubes for the world’s leading car makers.

Japanese Giant Invests in Producer of Graphene Nanotubes (2024)

FAQs

Japanese Giant Invests in Producer of Graphene Nanotubes? ›

Japanese giant Daikin Industries Ltd. has become a shareholder of the world's largest producer of graphene nanotubes, OCSiAl, following three years of collaboration in developing graphene nanotube applications as a next-generation additive.

Who is the biggest producer of graphene? ›

Here are the top-ranked graphene companies as of April, 2024: 1. Carbon Rivers, 2. MATEXCEL, 3. NanoIntegris Technologies, Inc..

Is graphene stronger than carbon nanotubes? ›

Composites with graphene blends can be stronger and stiffer than composites with carbon nanotubes. Graphene is also better at transferring its properties to a material with which it is mixed than carbon nanotubes. Because of its large surface area, graphene achieves more contact with the surrounding polymer material.

How to convert graphene to carbon nanotubes? ›

To form a CNT, the basic form of carbon and graphene is manipulated to form thin sheets that are rolled into cylinders. The sheets of graphene used to make the nanotubes are 2D due to graphene being one atom thick, this gives the CNTs some of their special properties.

What is a graphene nanotube? ›

What Are Graphene Nanotubes? Graphene nanotubes, or single wall carbon nanotubes, are graphene sheets shaped as a tube. Their unique physical properties make them a universal additive that has potential applications across up to 50% of the global materials market.

Who owns the patent for graphene? ›

Novusterra, a U.S-based company focused on developing and commercializing high-value products and applications for graphene and carbon nanostructures, has announced that it has acquired the exclusive rights to patents for graphene and carbon nanostructure from American Resources Corporation in exchange for $16 million ...

Who produces graphene in the USA? ›

Table 2: Top Graphene Manufacturers in the US & Canada by Revenue
CompanyLocationYear Founded
XG Sciences, Inc.Lansing, MI2006
Reade Advanced MaterialsEast Providence, RI1881
MatexcelShirley, NY2015
Goodfellow Corp.Coraopolis, PA1946
6 more rows
Feb 7, 2023

What is the toughest material on Earth? ›

Diamond is the hardest substance found on earth in so many natural forms, and it is an allotrope of carbon. The hardness of diamond is the highest level of Mohs hardness - grade 10. Its microhardness is 10000kg/mm2, which is 1,000 times higher than quartz and 150 times higher than corundum.

Is there a better material than graphene? ›

It turns out that borophene is stronger than graphene and more flexible. It is also a good conductor for both electricity and heat, and it superconducts. The properties vary depending on the material's orientation and the arrangement of vacancies, which means the material is 'tunable'.

What is the strongest material on Earth? ›

Carbyne has a chemical structure with alternating single and triple bonds: (−C≡C−)n. This structure of carbon gives an impressive Young's modulus (a measure of the tensile stiffness of a solid material) of 32.7 TPa, which is forty times that of diamond, and thirty times that of carbon nanotubes.

Is it possible to make your own graphene? ›

Making graphene at home is mostly just a proof-of-concept. It is unlikely that you will be able to make enough high-quality graphene to be of any productive use. But it's a fun experiment! Since making graphene at home is largely experimental, the exact measurements for creating it in a blender is unknown.

How long can we make carbon nanotubes? ›

While scientists have been able to grow individual CNTs approximately 50 cm in length, when they attempt arrays, or forests, they hit a ceiling at around 2 cm.

How is graphene bulletproof? ›

One of the key properties used by graphene to reduce the kinetic energy of the bullet was the way tensile stress moves through it. Tensile stress cannot travel faster than the speed of sound in a material.

Why is graphene still not used? ›

Technology Maturity: Graphene batteries are still in the early stages of development, and their reliability and safety need further testing. This means that the technology is not yet mature enough to be used in mass production, which limits its market potential.

Why is graphene bulletproof? ›

What they found was that graphene's ability to simultaneously be stiff, strong and elastic makes it ideal for protective shielding.

What is the best graphene stock to buy? ›

Top Graphene Stocks to Invest
  • 1.) Real Graphene USA. Real Graphene USA is a Los Angeles-based technology company working on graphene-enhanced battery cells. ...
  • 2.) Versarien. ...
  • 3.) Applied Graphene Materials. ...
  • 4.) G6 Materials Corp. ...
  • 5.) Archer Materials. ...
  • 6.) Directa Plus. ...
  • 7.) Comet Resources. ...
  • 8.) First Graphene.

Where is the most graphene found? ›

Answer and Explanation: Graphene is found in China, Mozambique, Brazil, and India. China is ranked as the biggest producer of graphene globally.

Who produces the most graphite in the world? ›

Not only is China the world's leading producer of graphite, but also the country with the largest graphite reserves across the globe, at an estimated 78 million metric tons.

What is the biggest problem with graphene? ›

The problem is that the molecular forces holding graphene sheets together in graphite are very strong, and it's hard to pull sheets apart. Because of this, graphene produced using top-down methods is often many layers thick, has holes or deformations, and can contain impurities.

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