First Graphene has completed the second phase of its graphene-enhanced cement trials, alongside the UK’s cement producer Breedon Cement.
The first phase demonstrated a 15 % reduction in carbon emissions and 10 % increase in cement strength, reinforcing graphene-enhanced cement as a lower-carbon solution for construction companies around the world. The material made during the Phase One trials also successfully met performance criteria in the end systems, demonstrating the viability of producing graphene-enhanced cement at industrial scale.
The Phase Two trials used four tonnes of grinding aid containing PureGRAPH® to produce an additional 600 tonnes of graphene-enhanced cement at the production scale. The focus was on the optimization of dosing methods at an increased graphene loading level, with the resulting formulation change in the grinding aid. This stage builds on the learnings from earlier work, with results expected in January 2024 which will be used to compare performance to the Phase One trials.
In addition, First Graphene has shared that its representatives visited Holcim (New Zealand) Ltd. to view the global cement producer’s Low-Carbon Cement Replacement Facility. Holcim NZ has been testing First Graphene’s PureGRAPH® product as an additive to increase the performance of Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCM), with the aim of reducing CO2 emissions in the sector and increasing performance of cement blends to extend the range of applications. Currently, Holcim NZ are working on identifying the optimum PureGRAPH® product to achieve this goal, and the corresponding addition method.
First Graphene has also commenced collaborative trials with Thailand-headquartered Siam City Cement (“Siam City Cement” or “SCCC”). Lab-scale testing is currently underway, with the aim of determining the ideal PureGRAPH® product for their cement composition.
