Photo-responsive graphene for anti-corrosive and conductive strong, compliant silicone nanocomposites

Graphene is an ultra-thin carbon-based material that is constituted of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged into a two
dimensional sheet. It displays exceptional heat and electron conduction properties. Graphene also has a high potential for
anti-corrosion properties as it displays ultra-high resistance to the diffusion of gases and small molecules and due to its
excellent stability towards oxidation. However, graphene suffers from the drawback of being poorly soluble/dispersible in
polymer matrices and hard to process, unless stabilisers are used. Unfortunately, although the use of stabilisers leads to
improve processability, it also decreases the performance of graphene based nanocomposites.
This project aims to develop a novel approach for the stabilisation of graphene using a type of smart ultra-thin graphene
surface functionalisation, termed polymer brush. In particular, we will design polymer brushes that can be cleaved from the
graphene surface by irradiation with light, hence enabling their use to improve the processing of graphene without impairing
its exceptional heat and electrical conduction and anti-corrosion properties. This technology could have a considerable
impact on the application of graphene to a wide range of technologies.
In collaboration with FormFormForm Ltd., the company behind the range of silicone-based resins called Sugru, we will
explore the use of these materials to generate heat and electrically conductive silicone based matrices, as well as the
application of such composites as anti-corrosion coatings. Achieving high performance for such flexible silicone-based
composites, thanks to the exceptional properties of graphene, could open up a wide range of applications for such siliconebased
materials. Hence we will explore the use of this new technology to address some of the current challenges in the
manufacturing industry.

The proposed project aims to develop novel graphene-based silicone nano-composites with high performance
heat/electrical conduction and anti-corrosion properties. Its findings will benefit the academic community, primarily
scientists in the fields of graphene-based materials and their applications, nano-composites and polymer coatings.
However, as this project is industrially led, applications in the field of heat/electron conductive materials and anti-corrosion
materials will be developed. In particular, we will focus on the application of such graphene-based anti-corrosive conductive
silicone coatings, for the automotive industry.
Who will benefit from this research and how will they do so?
A. Economic and societal impact.
Industry and companies requiring anti-corrosion solutions, in particular with coatings displaying a combination of strong
mechanical properties and compliance will be a direct beneficiary of the technology developed. The specific application that
we will explore, in collaboration with FFF Ltd. and Yazaki, will be for the design of wire harnesses and electrical distribution
systems. With FFF Ltd., we will also explore the potential to replace some of the heat/electrically conductive resins
available on the market, in particular when strong flexible components are needed.
The potential market is that upward of 2000 cables per vehicle in all automobiles (over 87 million vehicles in 2013) would
become replaceable with cheaper and lighter aluminium wiring. Even a 1% market share during early adoption would
constitute a demand of up to 800 tons of compound per year (assuming 0.5 g coating per wire, 2000 wires per vehicle).
Once a technology is successfully applied and accepted by auto manufacturers, it quickly becomes an industry standard,
and the technologies used are required to be adopted through licencing to all component manufacturers, therefore leading
to significant market share and fast growth as the industry adopts the technology.
The graphene industry will also benefit from this project, as we will develop a novel approach for stabilizing graphene
materials with photo-labile brushes. This will allow processing of graphene whilst still enabling high performance properties
to be achieved. Hence more advanced manufacturing processes of graphene-based materials will be accessible.
B. The public.
On a longer time scale, the public will benefit from findings of this project as its implications in the field of curable compliant
silicone resins with anti-corrosion properties and heat/electrical conductivity will all the public to access a new range of
products. FFF Ltd has already successfully marketed a range of Sugru products that are of direct interest to the public. The
company's strategy is to diversify the range of properties that its Sugru range can offer. In addition, industries that will be using the technologies developed will also allow a wider range of products to be available to the public (e.g. in the case of
Yazaki, lighter and hence more environmentally friendly cars)