Volt Carbon Technologies Inc. has achieved significant breakthroughs in the expansion results of its graphite produced at the Company’s dry processing facility in Scarborough, Ontario. The team at Volt’s Guelph Battery Plant laboratory, in collaboration with Dr. Aiping Yu and her team from the University of Waterloo, has successfully developed and tested expansion protocols for dry-separated natural flake graphite. These tests covered various flake sizes and were produced using Volt’s proprietary dry processing method, which is sustainable and does not require the use of water, chemicals, or generation of wet tailings.
The expansion results achieved by Volt were the highest ever recorded by the company. By utilizing a combination of sulfuric acid and potassium permanganate, the dry-separated natural graphite reached over 400 ml/g for products larger than +50 mesh. These chemicals intercalate between graphite flakes and, when heated, cause them to expand dramatically in an accordion-like manner. Additionally, a third-party test conducted by ProGraphite GmbH on Volt’s +80 mesh graphite confirmed its excellent expandability, achieving over 98.2% carbon purity and 325 mg/l using Volt’s proprietary dry processing.
The objective of this expandable graphite testing was to provide actual results for various dry-separated graphite sizes and fractions, which will be available for purchase from Volt’s online store starting August 12, 2024. The results also indicated a significantly lower oxidation rate in dry separation compared to flotation, consistently suggesting potential for up to 15% higher yields for all downstream processing of dry-separated graphite, including conversion to battery anode material. This breakthrough will lead to substantial cost reductions for consumers of this graphite.
Expandable natural graphite plays a crucial role in industries producing fire-resistant building materials, textiles, and graphite foils. The successful expansion results achieved by Volt Carbon Technologies pave the way for further process optimization and product enhancements. The company is dedicated to advancing research in expandable graphite while simultaneously developing battery anode materials, aiming to create additional value-added carbon products and capitalize on the unique anisotropic properties of natural flake graphite.
In addition to its applications in fire-resistant building materials, expanded graphite is an essential precursor for the manufacture of flexible graphite foils and papers. These lightweight materials offer high heat dispersion and shielding properties, and are incorporated into many mobile electrical devices to safely disperse heat away from battery sources. The demand for expanded graphite is expected to grow rapidly due to the increasing use of high-energy-density batteries in mobile devices. There are also emerging markets for expandable graphite as a precursor for graphene manufacturing.
V-Bond Lee, President and CEO of Volt Carbon Technologies, expressed confidence in the company’s proprietary dry-separated graphite, stating that it outperforms any competition encountered thus far. With trade restrictions and a limited supply of large-flake natural graphite in North America, coupled with a promising 9.8% annual growth forecast from Transparency Market Research, Volt Carbon is well-positioned to capitalize on this market as production ramps up.
Volt Carbon Technologies is a publicly traded carbon science company with specific interests in energy storage and green energy creation. The company holds mining claims in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia in Canada. For more information about Volt Carbon’s properties and news, please visit their website.