KOCHI: In a significant step towards transforming the state’s industrial sector, Kerala on Friday started commercial production of graphene, which is known as a wonder material of the future. Chennai-based Murugappa Group has started commercial production of graphene at the Kochi plant of Carborundum Universal Ltd, which has been operating in Kerala for the past five decades.
Carborundum Universal has established a 12,000 sq ft facility at the Special Economic Zone in Kakkanad for the purpose. The plant has the capacity to process six lakh litres of graphene powder per year. The company will import high-quality vein graphite from Sri Lanka for the plant.
“This is a significant step in the industrial development of Kerala. We are cooperating with Oxford and Edinburgh universities for research in development of graphene. The government is planning to establish a graphene-based industrial park in the state,” said Industries Minister P Rajeeve.
Carborundum Universal is an active partner in the India Innovation Centre for Graphene which is being set up by the Union and state governments in association with industrial partners. “Graphene is a disruptive technology that is expected to transform different industries from energy to electronics. It is 200 times stronger than steel and is incredibly lightweight.
It is a superconductor and has great potential in electric and electronic industry. Graphene can significantly enhance properties in natural and synthetic rubber for automobile tyres, improve the strength of concrete and can make marine structures corrosion-resistant. It improves the charging speed and life of batteries used in electric vehicles,” said Premnath, general manager (manufacturing).
The Grafino facility was established as a part of Carborundum Universal’s fine powder processing facility at SEZ, Kakkanad, in 2020. The company is currently focusing on three main application areas, such as composites, coating and energy through graphene powders.
In the area of composites, the focus is on elastomers, concrete, and thermoplastic polymers. “For coatings, the focus areas are anti-corrosion, anti-microbial, and electrically conductive applications. Graphene coating is also used extensively in auto detailing applications. Energy-based applications are focused on the use of graphene in supercapacitors, batteries, fuel cells and solar cells,” said managing director N Ananthaseshan.