Carbon Waters produces stable dispersions of graphene in water and deposits them on metal surfaces by electroplating; it is the only company in the world to achieve this feat.
The result is a graphene of superior quality, especially for combatting corrosion, according to Charlotte Gallois, innovation manager for Carbon Waters.
What are the properties of graphene?
“Graphene is a sheet of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb. This 2D material has very good electrical and thermal conductivity, as well as excellent barrier properties, which make it an excellent protector.
Graphene is used in various applications related to the electrical conductivity of materials (batteries, smartphone touch screens, etc.), heat dissipation (microelectronics), but also material resistance (anticorrosive coating, material for aeronautics, etc.).”
Is Carbon Waters graphene effective against corrosion?
“Completely! Carbon Waters produces a graphene of high good quality, consisting of one to eight sheets of carbon. Carbon Waters is therefore able to protect large areas with small amounts of graphene by making the best use of the barrier properties of this material.
“Carbon Waters graphene is currently used as a surface treatment on steel, aluminum, or nickel in particular. Our graphene is also used as an additive in aqueous or organic formulations to create, for example, anticorrosive coatings.”
Why is Carbon Waters graphene particularly in demand?
“It’s true that we receive a lot of requests from companies. Due to the production process, Carbon Waters graphene is slightly charged, which makes it possible to apply it by electroplating, a technique widely used in many industrial sectors.
“In addition, our product, which comes in liquid form, doesn’t contain organic or volatile compounds, is biodegradable, and complies with European regulations.
“In a context where these same regulations are about to prohibit the use of hexavalent chromium, Carbon Waters graphene is thus an interesting alternative for certain anticorrosion applications. What’s more, graphene is a polyfunctional material, so it’s adapted to meet complex specifications.”