GRAPULE-2
The CTTC is involved in various collaborative projects, and GRAPULE-2 is one of them.
Graphene for technical coatings and 3D printing
Additive manufacturing / Aeronautics / Industry
The GRAPULE-2 project (GRaphene: Applications and Industrial Production) aimed to bring to market within 3 years a new range of:
✔️graphene-based conductive paints for the aerospace and industrial sectors with equivalent electrical conductivity (compared to metal-based paints), offering weight savings, cost reduction, improved paint applicability by spray deposition, and enhanced radar compatibility,
✔️transparent graphene-based conductive inks, applied by inkjet printing or aerosol jet printing, for applications in the printed electronics sector.
To meet current demands and future developments in the conductive paint and ink market, the GRAPULE-2 consortium set itself the goal of developing an industrial process for producing low-cost, high-quality graphene based on an innovative synthesis technology using Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) in a fluidized bed reactor, which is environmentally friendly and compliant with health and safety requirements.
This technology offers numerous advantages (uniformity of particles, temperature gradient control, ability to operate continuously, environmental friendliness) compared to other synthesis methods such as exfoliation, which has a questionable environmental impact.
This new grade of graphene also targets other application fields, including energy storage, plastics and composites, and concrete.
Partners and funders
Coordinated by the company BOUCHILLOU ALKYA, and with coordination support from the plateforme CANOE, the GRAPULE-2 consortium brought together 8 partners including 2 SMEs (BOUCHILLOU, CERADROP), 2 large industrial groups (ARKEMA, PPG COATINGS), 2 technology centers (CANOE, CTTC), and 2 academic laboratories (CRPP, LCC), covering the entire value chain from the future graphene producer, semi-finished product formulators, to the final applicators.
The GRAPULE-2 project was a structuring initiative at the scale of the newly formed Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, bringing together six partners from Aquitaine and Limousin in the fields of advanced materials and 3D printing technologies.
The project was selected by the Fonds Unique Interministériel (Single Interministerial Fund) and received labels from the Pôle Européen de la Céramique and Aerospace Valley clusters.
It benefited from financial support from the French government, the Regional Council of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, and the European Regional Development Fund .
Project duration: 2015–2018
Budget: €2,400,000
Consortium: BOUCHILLOU ALKYA, CANOE, ARKEMA, PPG COATINGS, MGI-CERADROP, CRPP, LCC, CTTC
Results
The CTTC has developed expertise in adapting graphene-based inks and printing them using aerosol jet and inkjet technologies. The acquisition of an inkjet printer (F-Series, Ceradrop) enabled the CTTC to take a significant step forward in its roadmap focused on hybrid processes. This advancement allowed work on the development of a multilayer, multi-material device (graphene–dielectric polymer).
Funders
The CTTC thanks the Union Européenne for its financial support.
The CTTC also thanks the région Nouvelle-Aquitaine and BPI France for their financial support.
