Northern Graphite Announces Successful Test Production of Graphene
July 21 2011 - 9:14AM
Marketwired
Northern Graphite Corporation (TSX VENTURE: NGC) is pleased to
announce that graphene has been successfully made on a test basis
using large flake graphite from the Company's Bissett Creek project
in Northern Ontario. Northern's standard 95%C, large flake graphite
was evaluated as a source material for making graphene by an
eminent professor in the field at the Chinese Academy of Sciences
who is doing research making graphene sheets larger than 30cm2 in
size using the graphene oxide methodology. The tests indicated that
graphene made from Northern's jumbo flake is superior to Chinese
powder and large flake graphite in terms of size, higher electrical
conductivity, lower resistance and greater transparency (see
table).
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Graphene size Opto-electrical properties
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sheet
Graphene area Percent Transmittance resistance
(mm2) (%) (%) (omega/sq)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese graphite
powder
(800mesh) 0.04-0.36 49 79 12000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese flake
graphite
(32mesh) 7000 56 78 840
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern
Graphite 10000 64 81 800
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To view images of the graphenes, please visit the following link
: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/NGC_Images0721.pdf
Approximately 70% of production from the Bissett Creek property
will be large flake (+80 mesh) and almost all of this will in fact
be +48 mesh jumbo flake which is expected to attract premium
pricing and be a better source material for the potential
manufacture of graphene. The very high percentage of large flakes
makes Bissett Creek unique compared to most graphite deposits
worldwide which produce a blend of large, medium and small flakes,
as well as a large percentage of low value -150 mesh flake and
amorphous powder which are not suitable for graphene, Li ion
batteries or other high end, high growth applications.
Graphite is one of only two naturally occurring forms of carbon,
the other being diamonds. A graphite flake is much like a deck of
cards, it consists of many thin layers stacked one on top of the
other with weak bonds holding them together. Delaminating these
layers to the lowest common denominator results in a one atom thick
sheet of carbon with the carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb
pattern. This is graphene.
Graphene was first isolated by scientists at the University of
Manchester who won the Noble Prize for Physics in 2010 for their
efforts. Graphene is transparent in infra-red and visible light,
flexible, and stronger than steel. It conducts heat 10 times faster
than copper and can carry 1,000 times the density of electrical
current of copper wire. Graphene is expected to be a revolutionary
material that could change the technology of semi conductors and
LCD touch screens and monitors, create super small transistors and
super dense data storage, increase energy storage and solar cell
efficiency, and will transform many other applications.
According to a professor at Georgia Tech University, there are
nearly 200 companies, including Intel and IBM, currently involved
in graphene research. In 2010 graphene was the subject of
approximately 3,000 research papers and the European Union and
South Korea have each recently started $1.5 billion efforts to
build industrial scale, next generation display materials using
graphene as a substitute for indium tin oxide("ITO"). The world has
only 5-10 years of ITO reserves remaining and prices exceed
US$700,000 per tonne.
See what is possible at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YbS-YyvCl4&NR=1
About Northern Graphite Corporation
Northern Graphite Corporation (TSX VENTURE: NGC) holds a 100%
interest in the Bissett Creek graphite project which is located
17kms from the Trans Canada highway between Ottawa and North Bay,
Ontario. The Company is in the process of completing a bankable
Final Feasibility Study and permitting with the objective of
initiating construction, subject to the results of the study and
the availability of financing, in the first part of 2012.
The Graphite Market
Graphite prices have increased substantially due to the ongoing
modernization of China and other emerging economies which has
resulted in strong demand from traditional steel and automotive
markets. In addition, new applications such as lithium ion
batteries, fuel cells and nuclear power have the potential to
create significant incremental demand growth. However, production
and exports from China, which produces 70% of the world's graphite,
are expected to decline and an export tax and a licensing system
have been instituted. Both the European Union and the United States
have declared graphite a supply critical mineral. With few
potential development projects on the horizon, the Company is well
positioned to benefit from the continued improvement in graphite
demand and prices. High growth, high value graphite applications
require large flake and/or high purity graphite which will
represent 100% of Bissett Creek production.
Additional information on Northern Graphite Corporation can be
found under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on
the Company's website at www.northerngraphite.com
This press release contains forward-looking statements, which
can be identified by the use of statements that include words such
as "could", "potential", "believe", "expect", "anticipate",
"intend", "plan", "likely", "will" or other similar words or
phrases. These statements are only current predictions and are
subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors
that may cause our or our industry's actual results, levels of
activity, performance or achievements to be materially different
from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements. The
Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to
update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, unless otherwise required
by applicable securities laws. Readers should not place undue
reliance on forward-looking statements.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX
Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release.
Contacts: Gregory Bowes, CEO (613) 241-9959 Don Baxter P.Eng,
President (705) 789-9706
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