For the top down method finding a high purity and high quality source of graphite is a critical value-adding component. Larger graphite flakes yield larger graphene nanoplatelets that make products with a better additive effect. Graphite with large flake size that can be mined and processed cheaply will yield a higher quality, more profitable, product than a raw material that needs intensive chemical and physical processing.
Pay attention to companies that have secure access to the best raw materials and use the most straightforward processing techniques and you will be looking at better investment potential. Companies that master the production of graphene will are more likely to be successful at the supply end of the value chain.
The application end of the graphene value chain
Moving up the value chain to the applications of graphene can access more value and this takes us to the realm of graphene additives. Top down produced graphene nanoplatelets is where mass production is in terms of applications. Teams of scientists around the world are discovering that graphene can be added to many things that improve their performance and they patent their discoveries to protect their research and development (R&D) investment.
A company can build a patent portfolio by doing its own R&D or buying intellectual property created by other organisations and stake a protected claim on market segments it chooses to target. The wise investor will know that just having lots of patents is not necessarily a sign of commercial success. The majority of the patents out there will never create value. To do this they need to protect applications of graphene that solve a particular customer problem better than alternative solutions so that customers will be prepared to pay a premium for the graphene product that gives them the benefit.
Thanks Peter Marshall for the Nixon article above.
The Albany graphite not only fit the bill for all the requirements above but better.Larisplast and BGU have been working on mass producing Graphene Nanoplatelets from Zen graphite for superior cement additive and if all goes well,we will be their sole designated graphene provider without competition at all.Now that IBM is acknowledging Zenyatta in a public way,what next.The wait is agonizing.
