Innovation today isn’t just about inventing what comes next, it’s also about figuring out how to feasibly make it happen. Hardware limitations are among the biggest barriers to progress. While developers and engineers across various disciplines sit with white papers of conceptually-sound projects, they wait for lighter, stronger materials that can withstand extreme conditions, more efficient semiconductors and better batteries.
Graphene, a highly conductive and ultra-lightweight material, is one of the most promising breakthroughs that could revolutionize said technology. The “perfect atomic lattice” that won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2010 could soon be improving battery and semiconductor performance, fundamentally re-engineering how electronics are built.
Top Graphene Companies to Know
- NanoXplore
- CVD Equipment
- Graphenea
- First Graphene
- Haydale
- Universal Matter GBR Ltd
- Lyten
- Thomas Swan
What Is Graphene?
Graphene is a material that consists of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal, honeycomb structure. At one atom thick, it’s the thinnest known material in the world. Researchers at the University of Manchester first discovered the supermaterial in 2004, by simply lifting Scotch tape from graphite to peel it off or “isolate” it layer by layer.
Graphene is known for being incredibly lightweight and flexible, yet it is up to 200 times stronger than steel. It can also be modified to exhibit high electrical and thermal conductivity, as well as resistance, transparency, antimicrobial properties and even the ability to generate electricity when exposed to sunlight.
Because of its versatile characteristics, graphene is working its way into everything from electronics, solar panels and sensors to medical devices and sports equipment. It’s also being explored as a silicon alternative in semiconductors due to its superior electron mobility at room temperature.
Top Graphene Companies and Manufacturers
NanoXplore specializes in high-volume production of graphene powder, as well as graphene-enhanced plastic and composite materials. Founded in 2011, the Montreal-based company supplies graphene-based products to transportation, packaging, electronics and energy industries, while also developing custom formulations for specific industrial applications. NanoXplore operates one of the world’s largest fully automated graphene production facilities, with a capacity of 4,000 metric tons per year.
First Graphene makes high-quality graphene products, specializing in bulk production with a 100-tons-per-year capacity. The company is known for its PureGRAPH products, which are made via a proprietary single-step electrochemical exfoliation process that uses raw materials above 90-percent purity sourced from its own Sri Lankan mines. Headquartered in Australia, First Graphene is applying its innovations across industries such as composites, elastomers, fire retardancy and energy storage.
Directa Plus manufactures graphene-based products for both consumer and industrial markets. Founded in 2005, the company uses a patented, chemical-free process to create graphene nanoplatelets for use across textiles, tires, paints, composites and green technologies. Headquartered in London with a manufacturing facility near Milan, Directa Plus partners with its clients to integrate its graphene materials into their products.
Versarien Plc is an advanced engineering materials company that develops graphene and 2D nanomaterials. With more than 130 patents, the UK-based company makes best-in-class graphene powders and inks, and is the world’s first manufacturer to earn a full quality assurance certification from the Graphene Council. Through its subsidiaries, including 2-DTech and Cambridge Graphene, Versarien is working on applications in energy storage, composites and printed electronics.
Thomas Swan is an independent chemical manufacturer that produces more than 100 products. Its portfolio includes performance chemicals like leather fungicides, rubber additives and ink coatings, as well as advanced materials like graphene. Founded in 1926, the company exports to more than 80 countries, offering bulk and custom manufacturing services to both multinational corporations and small-to-medium-sized businesses. In 2004, Thomas Swan opened the UK’s first commercial manufacturing plant for high-purity single-wall carbon nanotubes in partnership with Cambridge University’s Department of Material Science and Department of Chemistry.
Using clean technology, Graphene Manufacturing Group manufactures contaminant-free graphene through a proprietary process that uses low-cost feedstock. Headquartered in Australia, the company’s product portfolio includes THERMAL-XR, a coating designed to improve heat transfer in HVAC systems, G LUBRICANT for reducing machinery wear-and-tear and the G Aluminium-Ion Battery, which aims to offer higher energy and power densities than conventional lithium-ion batteries.
Black Swan Graphene manufactures advanced graphene-based materials designed to optimize the performance of plastics, concrete packaging and industrial applications. Its flagship products, including GraphCore powders and GEM masterbatch, improve strength, durability and efficiency in manufacturing and construction.
Universal Matter Inc. (formerly Applied Graphene Materials) specializes in graphene nanoplatelet dispersions for industrial applications in order to improve their mechanical and conductivity properties in coatings, composites and electronics. Acquired by Universal Matter Inc. in 2023, the company leverages its proprietary “bottom-up” production process and dispersion expertise to integrate graphene into commercial products. Operating across the United Kingdom, United States and Canada, Universal Matter uses a patented Flash Joule Heating technology to convert carbon-based feedstocks into high-quality graphene.
Lyten is an advanced materials company that turns carbon emissions into a “supermaterial” known as 3D graphene. Founded in 2015, the California-based company uses its lightweight composite materials to build aircrafts, drones and infrastructure, while also developing lithium-sulfur batteries for electric vehicles and ultra-sensitive, paper-thin sensors for applications in healthcare and air quality monitoring.
Global materials company Haydale specializes in the integration of nanomaterials, including graphene, into commercial technologies and industrial materials. With expertise in improving electrical, thermal and mechanical properties, the Welsh company operates in sectors such as aerospace, automotive, construction and energy, offering proprietary technologies that enhance the performance of advanced materials and offset harmful emissions with its carbon capture systems.
CVD Equipment Corporation designs and builds chemical vapor deposition systems, which are used to create advanced materials — like graphene — and coatings used in a wide range of industries, from aerospace to energy. Based in New York, the company participates in graphene research and production by providing the specialized equipment needed to manufacture high-quality graphene at scale. It also caters to the growing silicon carbide market, which is used to power electric vehicles, and provides surface treatments to enhance the properties of advanced materials.
Graphene manufacturer Graphenea produces high-quality graphene films. Its portfolio includes CVD graphene films, graphene field-effect-transistors chips, graphene foundry services and graphene oxides that are offered in more than 60 countries. With facilities in Spain and the United States, the company operates a graphene oxide pilot plant with a production capacity of one ton per year.
Talga Group is a vertically integrated materials company that makes eco-friendly graphite battery anode products and advanced materials. With global operations in Sweden, Germany and the United Kingdom, the Australia-based company uses its high-grade natural graphite and in-house anode production facilities to create sustainable supply chains for battery production.
Vorbeck is a Maryland-based company that manufactures its own graphene-based materials and high-performance electronic components. Originating in a Princeton University lab in 2006, Vorbeck’s flagship products, Vor-x and Vor-ink, are used in everything from wearables to mission-critical communication systems that support military operations. To date, the company holds more than 100 patents related to advanced graphene applications.
Zentek develops graphene-based nanotechnologies for healthcare and environmental applications. With more than 100 researchers in collaboration with universities worldwide, Zentek is developing products that showcase graphene’s unique properties, including antimicrobial coatings like ZenGUARD, which enhances filtration efficiency for surgical masks and HVAC systems. The Ontario-based company also explores other use cases for graphene, such as corrosion protection, fuel additives, pathogen detection and icephobic coatings.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is graphene?
Graphene is a material that consists of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a two-dimensional honeycomb lattice. It is known for its exceptional strength, conductivity and versatility in various applications.
What is graphene used for?
Graphene is used to enhance energy storage in devices like batteries and supercapacitors, and blended into composites used to lightweight and strengthen aircrafts and cars. It is also built into medical products and water filtration systems for its antimicrobial properties, as well as electronics, displays, solar cells and sensors — often through chemical vapor deposition or conductive inks — for its ability to generate electricity.
Who is the biggest graphene producer?
Currently, Canadian company NanoXplore is the largest producer of graphene globally, outputting 4,000 metric tons per year.
