First Graphene Limited announced it has entered into a joint development agreement (JDA) with Suvo Strategic Minerals Limited to research and develop low-emission cement and concrete products. The agreement aims to investigate the potential for further improvements in CO2 emission
reductions by combining the already successful outcomes achieved from the addition of graphene to cement and concrete with Suvo's metakaolin. Metakaolin is a pozzolanic material derived from fine kaolinite clay that can be used as a partial replacement for clinker in cement to deliver strength and performance improvements to concrete and mortar products. Clinker is the key binding agent in cement and is a key contributor to the industry's significant carbon footprint. This is due to the clinker manufacturing process, which involves roasting calcium carbonate materials at extremely high temperatures, with CO2 being a major by-product. Depending on a range of factors, for every tonne of cement manufactured, up to 900kg of CO2 can be produced. While the metakaolin manufacturing process still involves calcination, it is carried out at much lower temperatures without any significant CO2 emissions. Like graphene, metakaolin has been proven to provide superior performance benefits in cement and concrete applications but it is susceptible to degradation in some instances including exposure to high temperatures. Research has shown that graphene-enhanced metakaolin can provide far superior performance under a broader range of conditions. By combining the two products in a single formulation, synergistic performance benefits, such as accelerated OPC hydration, early hardness development and durability, are expected at reduced clinker amounts. The joint development being undertaken between First Graphene and Suvo intends to identify opportunities for commercialisation and scaling up of graphene-enhanced metakaolin solutions for use in cement and concrete products. Under the terms of the agreement, First Graphene will provide R&D services, co-develop a research and development plan to produce graphene-enhanced solutions with Suvo, and ultimately focus on scaling up production of the resulting solutions. Suvo will take responsibility for testing and validation of graphene-enhanced metakaolin products and provision of market data to enable the scale up of production.