Steady Progress and Bright Future for Graphene Powder Applications
Summary: Graphene powder finds applications in numerous fields. In the lithium battery sector, it serves as a conductive additive for both cathode and anode materials, enhancing charge/discharge speed and cycle performance. As an electrode material in capacitors, it exhibits high energy storage activity and good cycle performance. In the special coatings field, graphene powder improves performance through additives in anti-corrosion, thermal, and conductive coatings. It also acts as an effective catalyst in energy chemistry.
Graphene powder is applicable in various domains. In the lithium battery field, it can be used as a conductive additive for cathode and anode materials, improving charge/discharge speed and cycle performance. As an electrode material for capacitors, it shows high energy storage activity and good cycle performance. In the special coatings field, it enhances performance through additives in anti-corrosion, thermal, and conductive coatings. It also serves as an effective catalyst in energy chemistry.
After years of accumulation, the industry has achieved significant sales in anti-corrosion coatings and thermal conductive films. Conductive additives (graphene batteries) and composite materials (bulletproof materials, rubber, plastics, metals, etc.) are also being actively promoted. In the past one to two years, graphene powder has been commercialized in battery materials, functional coatings, conductive inks, and thermal films. The next 3-5 years will be a phase of accelerated commercialization in the energy storage field.
Graphene Powder
Some domestic companies have already established large-scale production lines for graphene powder. Considering the industry’s small scale and the maturity of downstream market conditions, the downstream market for graphene powder is expected to flourish in the next five years. More enterprises are anticipated to build graphene powder production lines, potentially pushing China’s production capacity beyond 200,000 tons by 2022.
Maturation of Graphene Powder Technology
Graphene raw materials can be divided into films and powders (microchips). With its application in lithium-ion batteries, touch screens, and other fields, demand for upstream raw materials in the industry chain is increasing. Achieving large-scale production of graphene raw materials has become a focus for the industry and a bottleneck restricting rapid development.
Graphene powder, from a product form perspective, primarily follows two industrial production directions: graphene powder and graphene film. Films typically range between 1-4 layers, while graphene powder consists of 1-10 layers of microchips. (According to the China Graphene Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance, only materials with fewer than 10 atomic layers can be called graphene powder.) Industrial production of graphene films requires high technical standards, making it difficult for most companies to enter this field. In contrast, graphene powder finds broad downstream applications, from conductive additives and composite materials to conductive inks, thermal management, energy storage, desalination, and anti-corrosion materials, making it a favorite for graphene enterprises aiming for industrialization.
Graphene powder is primarily prepared through ball milling exfoliation, vapor-liquid phase exfoliation, and oxidation-reduction methods. The oxidation-reduction method, which produces the fewest layers of graphene powder, is the best approach for large-scale production of graphene powder.