Written by Kerryn Caulfield, Executive Director, Composites Australia Inc.
Through this partnership, Bisley will leverage its global connections and extensive distribution network to bring PureGRAPH® to markets in Australia and beyond. Meanwhile, First Graphene will focus on pioneering research to enhance graphene’s properties and performance, enabling its functionalisation and adoption across multiple sectors. Together, they aim to amplify the commercialisation strategy of PureGRAPH®, from coatings to structural components.
Founded in Sydney in 1955, Bisley has achieved remarkable international growth, expanding its operations to key markets across Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and North America. Its extensive global reach, supported by a strong distribution network and connections in over 35 countries is a significant accomplishment for an Australian company.
Matt Henry, ANZ Director of Operations at Bisley, expressed enthusiasm about the transformative potential of PureGRAPH® graphene technology. “
“Graphene has properties that can enhance products across a wide range of industrial sectors,” he said. “We’re excited to collaborate with partners to explore new applications that leverage its exceptional electrical conductivity, thermal and barrier properties, high surface area, and remarkable mechanical characteristics.”
Manny Samano – Industrial chemicals and minerals manager (ANZ) – with over 25 years of international experience in the automotive, coatings and performance materials industries also commented: “The versatility of graphene, particularly its ability to be functionalised and integrated into diverse composite matrices, opens up opportunities to enhance performance in critical sectors like aerospace, transport and infrastructure,” he added. “By tailoring graphene to improve strength, conductivity and durability, it offers game-changing solutions for these industries.”
Integrating graphene into thermosetting polymers also presents a significant opportunity to advance sustainability in material science. By improving mechanical properties, thermal management, and durability, graphene enables the production of more robust, longer-lasting materials, reducing the need for excessive raw materials and lowering emissions during manufacturing.
“Graphene-enhanced thermosets represent a step forward in aligning innovation with environmental responsibility,” Samano noted. “By extending product life and minimising resource consumption, these materials help industries meet global carbon reduction goals while driving performance improvements. A world of innovation opens up with epoxy and vinyl ester resins, enabling various applications from coatings to structural components.”
“Partnering with First Graphene to distribute PureGRAPH® aligns with our commitment to delivering innovative materials to our clients,” Samano added. “This collaboration enables us to offer advanced graphene solutions across various industries, enhancing performance and fostering technological advancement.”
The Bisley-First Graphene partnership is a promising step toward realising graphene’s potential in commercial and industrial applications while advancing sustainability and innovation in material science and technology.
Carbon is one of the most essential elements in the universe and a primary building block of life. Its unique ability to bond in versatile ways forms the basis for countless substances, from simple molecules like carbon dioxide to complex materials like graphite and diamond. Graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a two-dimensional hexagonal lattice, stands out among carbon-based materials for its remarkable properties. Though ultra high-resolution images reveal graphene’s atomic pattern, these visuals alone can’t capture its potential for transforming advanced materials.
Graphene presents as “platelets”—thin, flat, two-dimensional sheets typically just one atom thick. This structure provides an exceptionally high surface area relative to its volume, even at a nanoscopic scale, enabling significant interaction with its surroundings. This is especially valuable for applications involving adsorption, chemical reactions, and energy storage and also makes graphene an ideal reinforcement in composite materials.
Returning to the arrangement of carbon atoms—known as atomic arrangement—this structure defines the material’s framework at the atomic level, shaping its characteristics and functionality. In graphene, the carbon atoms form an hexagonal lattice, with each atom bonded to three others by strong covalent bonds.
This specific arrangement gives graphene extraordinary strength (about 200 times stronger than steel) even in its thin, flat form, while also providing mechanical flexibility. Additionally, the lattice structure allows delocalised electrons (free-moving electrons) to flow across the surface with minimal resistance, giving graphene high electrical conductivity. Despite being just one atom thick, the strong atomic bonds enable graphene to transfer heat efficiently across its surface.
Furthermore, graphene’s flat, high surface area allows for substantial interaction with other molecules and materials, supporting applications in adsorption, chemical reactions, and energy storage. It can also be chemically modified, or functionalised, to bond with specific materials, enhancing its versatility and compatibility in composite applications.
Through such functionalisation, graphene can be integrated into diverse composite matrices, improving strength, conductivity, and durability in sectors such as aerospace, automotive, and electronics.
