Nano Graphene Platelets – Automotive Applications of NGPs

Sponsored by Angstron MaterialsSep 20 2011

Introduction
NGPs - Properties and Advantages
NGP Solutions for Automotive Applications
About Angstron Materials

Introduction

Nano Graphene Platelets (NGPs) are similar to carbon nanotubes but have excellent performance characteristics compared to other nanomaterials. They are suitable for applications in industries such as:

Automotive
Aerospace
Energy
Electronics
Marine
Construction
Medical and
Telecommunications

NGPs - Properties and Advantages

Some of the performance characteristics of Angstron Materials' NGPs are outlined below:

Conductivity	NGPs have a very high thermal conductivity of up to 5,300 W/(mK), which is five times that of the thermal conductivity of copper, while their density is four times lower than that of copper Excellent in-plane electrical conductivity of up to 20,000 S/cm
Strength	NGPs are about 50 times stronger compared to steel They have a very high Young’s modulus of about 1,000 GPa and extremely high intrinsic strength of approximately 130 GPa
Surface Area	NGPs have a specific surface area of up to 2,675 m²/g, which is twice the surface area of CNTs
Density	NGPs have a low density of about 2.25 g/cm³
Dimensions	NGPs are available in a broad range of platelet lengths of 1 to 20 µm and thicknesses range of approximately 0.34 to 100 nm Single layer graphene is very thin with a thickness of just 0.34 nm

The figure below provides a graphical representation of the cost/perfromance benefits of NGPs of other competing material types.

Figure 1. Cost/performance comparison of some engineering materials including nano graphene platelets.

Angstron Materials' nano graphene solutions take care of problems related to viscosity and dispersion associated with processing of advanced materials that make use of carbon fibers and nanotubes.

NGP Solutions for Automotive Applications

NGPs from Angstron Materials are ideal for applications in automotive components such as fuel systems and also applications that require electrostatic spray painting (ESP). Angstron’s NGP-resin systems permit two-dimensional platelets to slide over each other, and this helps in attaining low resistance to shear flow at relatively high NGP proportion. This allows easy application of structural adhesives and convenient melt processing of polymer nanocomposites having a high NGP loading.

NGPs are electrically conductive additives, which improve electrical conductivity for polymers which can be directly painted by ESP. The process aids in reduction of volatile organic compounds (VOC). NGPs from Angstron can also enhance Class-A surface finish by reducing short-term waviness caused by inter-fiber matrix shrinkage by allowing for the same CTE between macro fibers, while platelets get rid of surface defects such as sub-surface out gassing and secondary operations in polymer processing. Because of the high thermal conductivity of NGPs, nano graphene materials are suitable for Li-Ion battery, supercapacitor electrode, and fuel cell bipolar plate applications in the automotive industry.

Other benefits of NGPs include enhanced thermo- mechanical properties, improved barrier properties and flame retardancy.

About Angstron Materials

Angstron Materials Inc., the world’s largest producer of nano graphene platelets (NGPs) specializes in helping companies engineer graphene solutions with mechanical, electrical and conductive performance advantages. They have the expertise to partner with customers throughout the commercialization process from initial screening to market launch.