Black Swan Graphene Unveils a Variety of Graphene-Enhanced Masterbatch ("GEM") Offerings

Black Swan Graphene has unveiled a diverse range of Graphene Enhanced Masterbatch ("GEM") products, each offering unique performance attributes tailored for various applications within the polymer industry. This announcement comes on the heels of a recent commercial agreement with Hubron International, a global leader in black masterbatch manufacturing. Black Swan emphasizes that these products are the outcome of extensive internal development efforts, which included independent verification through the expertise at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre ("GEIC") and a strategic partnership with Hubron.

While the focus of the product development is on achieving superior performance, Black Swan Graphene places a significant emphasis on consistency, recognizing its pivotal role in the successful commercialization of additive products. The initial production volumes are concentrated on polypropylene, a versatile and cost-effective polymer widely used across industries. Despite its popularity, polypropylene's relatively low impact resistance has presented challenges in various applications. Through the incorporation of just 1% graphene into polypropylene (loading ratio), the products demonstrated an impressive 30% improvement in impact resistance, as evidenced by a Notched Izod test measuring the energy absorbed by the material when struck by a notched sample.

The graphene-enhanced products, featuring Black Swan's innovative additives, showcase multiple performance benefits, including improved processability, leading to enhanced cost-effectiveness. Available in various polymers, masterbatches with loading ratios of up to 20% provide consistent performance in augmenting the impact resistance of polypropylene. This breakthrough opens up new possibilities across diverse industries, particularly in packaging and lightweighting applications within the transportation sector. The latter is especially crucial for increasing range and fuel efficiency.

In collaboration with Hubron, Black Swan is actively engaged in collaborative efforts with the polymer matrix of a prominent industrial polymer manufacturer. This manufacturer has initiated a bold initiative to develop plastic materials for electric vehicles, targeting reduced weight, expanded design flexibility, simplified complexity, improved thermal management, and reduced environmental impact. The ongoing development program has already yielded a notable 20% improvement in tensile strength with a loading ratio as low as 0.2%.

Looking ahead, Black Swan Graphene has plans to introduce similar graphene-enhanced products for other polymers in the coming months. This includes Polyamide 6 ("PA6"), recognized for its toughness, flexibility, and chemical resistance, as well as Polyamide 66 ("PA66"), a similar polymer with enhanced stiffness, strength, heat resistance, and melting point compared to PA6. The product lineup will also feature Polyethylene Terephthalate ("PET"), a thermoplastic polymer renowned for its transparency, strength, chemical resistance, and recyclability, making it ideal for food packaging and beverage bottles. Additionally, offerings for Polylactic Acid ("PLA"), a biodegradable thermoplastic designed for sustainable and compostable products, are in the pipeline.

The diverse range of graphene-enhanced masterbatch products from Black Swan Graphene, coupled with ongoing collaborations and expansion plans, underscores the company's commitment to driving innovation in the polymer industry. These advancements not only enhance the performance of existing materials but also pave the way for sustainable and efficient solutions across various applications.