Key Properties (system-level)

• Electrical: Enables ESD to moderate conductivity when a stable network forms.
• Thermal: Supports heat spreading in thin sections and coatings (depends on orientation and interface).
• Barrier: Platelet “tortuous path” can reduce gas/moisture permeability in films/coatings.
• Mechanical: Can increase modulus and scratch resistance in well-dispersed, well-wetted systems.

Typical Loading (starting ranges)

• Coatings (conductive/ESD): 0.2–3.0 wt% (start low; optimize dispersion before increasing).
• Polymers (ESD/antistatic): 0.5–5.0 wt% (depends on melt viscosity and compounding energy).
• Barrier / reinforcement focus: 0.1–2.0 wt% (orientation and aspect ratio often dominate).

When to Use

• You can apply sufficient dispersion energy (high-shear, bead mill, 3-roll, optimized compounding).
• You need multi-functionality (ESD + barrier, or thermal + reinforcement) rather than a single metric.
• Film/coating thickness and processing allow platelet alignment or stable network formation.

When NOT to Use

• You cannot control dispersion (limited mixing energy, no compatible dispersant, no process window).
• Optical clarity or ultra-low haze is mandatory (graphene can increase haze/grayness).
• Ultra-high conductivity is required with tight variability constraints (you may need CNT/metallic systems).

Failure Modes (what goes wrong in real production)

• Agglomeration: conductivity drift, specking, poor gloss, weak reinforcement.
• Viscosity runaway: excessive thickening, poor leveling, unstable transfer in coatings.
• Network collapse: conductivity drops after curing, aging, plasticizer migration, or thermal cycling.
• Interfacial mismatch: weak wetting → poor mechanical gains and poor barrier improvement.

Comparison Snapshot (practical engineering view)

Processing Notes (what to control)

• Dispersion route: solventborne coatings: bead mill / high-shear; melt: twin-screw with staged feeding.
• Order of addition: pre-wet graphene with compatible dispersant/resin, then dilute to final solids.
• Shear vs damage: enough energy to deagglomerate, but avoid over-processing that ruins aspect ratio.
• QC checks: viscosity profile, grind gauge (coatings), conductivity stability after aging/thermal cycling.

Compatibility (rule-of-thumb)

• Often compatible: epoxy, PU, acrylic, EVA/PO, engineering plastics—when dispersion chemistry matches.
• Commonly challenging: very low-polarity systems without dispersant strategy; ultra-clear systems.

Boundary Statement (scope)

• This page describes graphene as a materials additive. It does not guarantee conductivity, barrier, or mechanical performance without formulation-specific validation.
• Final properties depend on resin, processing, dispersion, and application geometry.

FAQ

1. Is graphene a “single-layer” material in typical industrial additives?
   Most industrial graphene additives are few-layer platelets or nanoplatelets; performance is driven by morphology and dispersion, not the label.
2. What is the fastest way to see if dispersion is good?
   Track viscosity stability, visual specking/grind gauge (coatings), and conductivity repeatability across 3 batches.
3. Why can conductivity vary at the same loading?
   Percolation depends on platelet contact and orientation; small dispersion changes can move the system above/below the percolation threshold.
4. Will graphene always beat carbon black on loading?
   Not always. Carbon black can be more forgiving; graphene wins when platelet alignment and stable dispersion are achievable.
5. Does graphene improve barrier in thick sections?
   Barrier gains are typically stronger in films/coatings where platelets align; thick, turbulent processing can reduce alignment benefits.
6. What causes post-cure conductivity drop?
   Network collapse from shrinkage, plasticizer migration, thermal cycling, or insufficient wetting/interfacial adhesion.
7. How do I choose between graphene and CNT?
   If you need the highest conductivity at minimal loading, CNT is often preferred; if you want barrier + reinforcement plus some conductivity potential, graphene is often a better starting point.
8. What data should I request for evaluation?
   Particle morphology (size/aspect ratio), surface chemistry, recommended dispersion method, and application-specific benchmarks.

Concepts Referenced

• Percolation threshold
• Aspect ratio and platelet alignment
• Interfacial wetting and adhesion
• Rheology / viscosity management
• Barrier “tortuous path” mechanism
• Dispersion energy and agglomeration control

Data & Reference Cues (for engineering validation)

• Measure: surface resistivity / volume resistivity (ASTM/IEC methods as applicable)
• Measure: thermal conductivity or heat spreading in target geometry (in-house method acceptable if consistent)
• Measure: OTR/WVTR barrier metrics for films/coatings
• Validate: batch-to-batch stability; aging (heat/humidity), thermal cycling, chemical exposure if relevant

Source Notes

• General materials-science consensus: graphene is a 2D carbon family; industrial performance is dominated by dispersion, morphology, and interface control.
• Use your internal test data (if available) as the primary decision basis for customer-facing specs.

Request

• Engineer CTA: Request TDS / dispersion guidance / sample for your resin system, and share your target metric (ESD, conductivity, barrier, thermal, or reinforcement).

Internal Links

• Functional Additives Hub
• Related Material: SWCNT Slurry
• Comparison: Optical/Carbon Black Selection Logic