BOSTON, Jan. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The market for
graphene is at a tipping point, with long periods of R&D now
starting to translate into significant purchase orders. For a long
time, the graphene market was overwhelmingly driven by a 'materials
push' whereby graphene firms worked hard to persuade markets
of the properties and benefits of their product. Now, that has
transitioned into 'market pull', with key drivers coming to the
fore.
IDTechEx continues to provide the most comprehensive
independent market research on the field of graphene and other
nanocarbons. In the latest update to their report, "Graphene
Market and 2D Materials Assessment
2021–2031", IDTechEx provides a granular outlook for the
industry, including forecasts, manufacturer analysis, material
benchmarking, price and applications. The
tipping point for graphene is here but with so many manufacturers
not all will become successful and
some consolidation is inevitable.
Multiple drivers are emerging for graphene as the
value-added material of choice. Graphene's ability to enhance
mechanical lifetimes – for example, through wear-resistant
liners or anti-corrosion coatings – and greater thermal management
requirements are two examples of prevalent
forces.
However, there is another market driver emerging, one that is
perhaps surprising but will have a major impact over the next
decade – sustainability.
As Dr. Soroush Nazarpour, President and CEO
of NanoXplore, puts it: "Graphene is a key ingredient when it
comes to sustainability of many markets and applications. For
instance, it enables closed-loop production practices for
plastic processing; and it enhances the capacity and charging speed
of Li-ion batteries. Graphene will definitely make the world a
greener place."
IDTechEx has identified three core application areas for
graphene that can serve this key market driver.
Biobased and recycled polymers
Many territories – and the companies that operate within them –
have committed to aspects of the circular economy, particularly the
elimination of waste. This often means firms are seeking to reduce
their consumption of single-use plastics and to increase the amount
of recycled material they use.
But this is a challenge: recycled content is typically
mechanically inferior to the
virgin material, and incorporating a ('non-green')
additive to overcome these limitations can defeat the
sustainability objective. Also, it may still be insufficient in
quality terms.
This is where graphene comes in. The multifunctional properties
of graphene as a polymer additive are well known. Being derived
from graphite, it also has an advantage over competing,
fossil-fuel-based additives when it comes to enhanced
sustainability. Graphene can be used this way within many diverse
sectors, and even low-volume incorporation could generate
big wins for graphene manufacturers – if they can scale
appropriately and control costs. The most immediate is
in graphene-enabled non-food packaging
which IDTechEx expect to become a key growth area in the
mid-term.
Beyond this, there is also the opportunity in bioplastics.
Again, these can be improved to the necessary performance by
utilising graphene's mechanical and barrier properties.
Packaging, coffee cups, and other opportunities are being explored
from some of the largest customers through to young
emerging companies such as Toraphene.
Energy storage
This is one of the most significant market movements of the
21st century – full electrification of our transportation is
underway with a booming potential. Driven by legislation in the
backdrop of a climate crisis the market landscape is quickly
transforming. "Graphene batteries" are a headline that is seen
readily but poorly used. Predominantly graphene is used as an
additive with a high electrical and thermal conductivity coupled
with beneficial mechanical properties. This can be used in
either of the electrodes, the coatings on the current
collector, or outside of the cell. For current generation
lithium-ion batteries graphene will only have a modest uptake,
mainly for those seeking fast charging solutions in the consumer
section. This is most notably seen in the smartphone products
launched from Xiaomi in 2020 and upcoming work from Real Graphene
and Appear.
However, the greater potential lies in future developments,
namely silicon anodes and lithium-sulfur batteries.
Significant developments – enabled by graphene – have already been
seen and there remains a high interest from nearly every
graphene manufacturer. Graphene is certainly not the only solution
being explored, but if companies can find a graphene-enabled
solution it will be very significant for the industry.
What is more, graphene's energy storage applications are not
limited to batteries; graphene-enabled supercapacitors are gaining
notable traction and could be critical solutions in conjunction
with other energy storage devices (e.g. hydrogen). In
this arena, Skeleton Technologies has had a very significant year,
raising EUR 41.3m in a Series D
funding round, announcing a partnership
with Wrightbus, and signing a EUR
1bn letter of intent with an automotive manufacturer.
Concrete and Asphalt
Perhaps surprisingly, many graphene companies are currently
exploring the potentials of concrete and asphalt markets. In their
current forms, both of these products are significant
contributors to climate change and would benefit from improved
mechanical performance. Some early-stage trials have suggested that
graphene could solve both problems, driving up
sustainability and practical outcomes together.
Notable projects from the likes of Directa Plus have
made headlines, and several graphene manufacturers have
told IDTechEx that they are in advanced conversations
with key players. The volume potential of these markets is huge –
perhaps far greater than the other markets described in this
article – and would completely change the outlook for graphene.
However, as is so often the case, there is a gap to be bridged
between current interest and real orders. The building and
construction industry has very fine margins and is notoriously slow
to adopt. Thus, concrete and asphalt are
certainly markets to watch, but there is some way to go
yet.
IDTechEx provides critical independent analysis of the
graphene industry and many other advanced materials and emerging
technologies. The latest report, "Graphene Market and 2D
Materials Assessment 2021–2031", provides a comprehensive
overview of the industry at a critical time.
For more information on this report, please
visit www.IDTechEx.com/graphene or for the full portfolio
of Advanced Materials research available
from IDTechEx please
visit www.IDTechEx.com/Research/AM.
Looking at related fields, IDTechEx also has dedicated
market reports on polymer recycling technologies
2020–2030 and multiple energy storage
categories, including li-ion batteries, solid-state
and polymer batteries, supercapacitors, the electric
vehicle market, and more.
About IDTechEx
IDTechEx guides your strategic business decisions through its
Research, Subscription and Consultancy products, helping you profit
from emerging technologies. For more information,
contact research@IDTechEx.com or
visit www.IDTechEx.com.
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