Perth-based First Graphene has commissioned expanded production facilities capable of producing three tonnes of graphene per month, using a process that converts soybean oil into high-quality graphene at costs the company claims are competitive with traditional carbon additives.

Graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice, has been called a wonder material for its exceptional strength, electrical conductivity, and thermal properties. But commercial applications have been limited by production costs and difficulties incorporating graphene into practical products.

First Graphene’s approach uses a catalytic chemical vapour deposition process where soybean oil vapour decomposes on metal substrates, forming graphene layers. The company has refined the process to achieve consistent quality at industrial scales, addressing one of graphene’s key commercialisation barriers.

From Laboratory Curiosity to Industrial Material

Graphene was first isolated in 2004 by researchers at the University of Manchester, who won the Nobel Prize for the work. Initial excitement about potential applications spawned thousands of research papers but relatively few products. The gap between graphene’s remarkable properties and practical applications remained frustratingly wide.

Production challenges explained much of that gap. Laboratory methods for creating high-quality graphene didn’t scale economically. Industrial processes could produce graphene in bulk but the material quality was inconsistent or inferior to what laboratory demonstrations achieved.

First Graphene’s soybean oil process sits in the middle ground. It produces graphene with consistent properties suitable for industrial applications where exceptional performance isn’t required, at prices that make sense for high-volume use.

The company’s initial commercial focus is concrete and asphalt additives. Adding small amounts of graphene improves strength and durability, extending infrastructure lifespan. Several councils in Western Australia are trialling graphene-enhanced road surfaces to evaluate long-term performance.

The Production Process

The manufacturing facility in Henderson, south of Perth, processes approximately 600 litres of soybean oil daily. The oil is heated to vaporise it, then passed over nickel-based catalysts in reaction chambers. Carbon from the oil deposits on the catalyst surfaces as graphene sheets.

After deposition, the graphene is separated from the catalyst substrates, processed into powder form, and packaged for shipment. The entire process takes about 12 hours from raw soybean oil to finished graphene powder.

Quality control is critical. The company tests each production batch for particle size distribution, surface area, and electrical conductivity. Customers need consistent material properties to incorporate graphene reliably into their manufacturing processes.

The use of soybean oil as feedstock provides environmental and cost benefits compared to hydrocarbon-based processes. Soybean oil is renewable and readily available at stable prices. The company sources most of its oil from Australian producers, supporting local agriculture.

Production costs have fallen by approximately 60% over the past three years as the company optimised the process and increased scale. At current costs, graphene becomes viable for applications where it replaces or supplements traditional carbon additives like carbon black or carbon fibre.

Market Applications

Construction materials represent the largest near-term market opportunity. Adding 0.05% graphene by weight to concrete improves compressive strength by 15-30% depending on mix design. That allows either stronger structures or reduced cement content, which matters because cement production contributes substantially to global carbon emissions.

Similar benefits appear in asphalt, where graphene additives improve resistance to cracking and rutting. Road authorities spend billions maintaining and replacing deteriorated asphalt. Materials that last longer offer compelling value despite higher initial costs.

The company is also developing graphene-enhanced coatings with improved corrosion resistance and thermal management properties. Industrial equipment operating in harsh environments, mining machinery, and marine applications all need durable protective coatings.

Energy storage applications remain longer-term prospects. Graphene shows promise for improving battery performance and supercapacitors, but those markets demand higher-quality graphene than concrete or asphalt. As production quality improves and costs fall further, energy applications may become viable.

Several Australian universities are collaborating with First Graphene on application development. Swinburne University is investigating graphene-enhanced 3D printing materials. RMIT is working on graphene textiles with improved thermal properties. These partnerships help identify new commercial opportunities.

Australian Graphene Research

Australia has strong graphene research capabilities despite lacking the massive research investments seen in China, the European Union, and the United States. Research groups at ANU, UNSW, Monash, and several other universities publish regularly on graphene synthesis, characterisation, and applications.

That research base provides technical expertise that companies like First Graphene can draw on for process improvements and application development. The connections between university research and industrial development work reasonably well in materials science, better than in some other technology sectors.

Australia also has relevant industrial capabilities in mining and materials processing. While the country doesn’t have large-scale advanced materials manufacturing, it has engineering expertise in process scale-up and industrial operations. Those capabilities transfer reasonably well to graphene production.

The challenge is competing with graphene producers in China, South Korea, and Europe who benefit from established advanced manufacturing ecosystems and government support programs. Australian producers need compelling advantages, whether that’s production costs, material quality, or customer proximity.

Commercialisation Challenges

Convincing customers to adopt graphene-enhanced materials requires demonstrating reliable performance benefits and acceptable costs. Many potential applications involve conservative industries that prefer proven solutions over novel materials, however promising.

Construction is particularly conservative. Concrete and asphalt specifications are standardised, and variations require extensive testing and approval. First Graphene has worked with standards bodies and testing laboratories to establish protocols for graphene-enhanced materials, but widespread adoption will take years.

There’s also competition from other advanced materials making similar performance claims. Carbon nanotubes, nanoclays, and advanced polymers all compete in applications where graphene might be used. Customers evaluate trade-offs between performance, cost, and ease of integration into existing manufacturing processes.

Intellectual property presents another complexity. Thousands of patents cover various graphene production methods and applications. Navigating that landscape requires substantial legal expertise and resources. First Graphene maintains its own patent portfolio while licensing some technologies from others.

For industrial companies evaluating when to adopt graphene-enhanced materials, understanding the maturity and reliability of supply chains matters as much as material properties. Production capacity, quality consistency, and supplier stability all factor into adoption decisions.

Future Outlook

First Graphene’s production expansion puts it among the larger graphene producers globally by volume, though several companies in China and South Korea operate at similar or larger scales. The competitive landscape remains fluid as production technologies evolve and new applications emerge.

The company plans further capacity expansion if current trials in construction applications prove successful and drive demand. Building materials markets are enormous, and even small market share penetration would support substantial production volumes.

Whether graphene becomes a transformative material or remains a niche additive will depend on continued cost reductions and demonstrated performance benefits in real-world applications. The path from laboratory wonder material to commodity industrial input is long. First Graphene’s production expansion represents progress along that path, but much work remains.