At Avadain, we have long believed that graphene performance in real products is driven by the material’s physical characteristics. Large lateral flake size, few-layer thinness, and low defect density are the features that determine whether a graphene additive actually improves a formulation or simply blends into the broad mix of lower-performing graphene family materials that currently make up most of the market.

Now we have independent third-party data that strongly supports that hypothesis.

In recent polyurethane composite testing conducted by the Mississippi Polymer Institute (MPI), Avadain’s large, thin, defect-free or LTDF graphene, significantly outperformed graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, graphene nanoplatelets, and functionalized graphene nanoplatelets at ultra-low loadings. MPI is a highly capable and well-respected polymer research and validation organization, and we were pleased to see an external lab produce a clean, side-by-side comparison of commercially relevant graphene-family materials.

Key Data Takeaways:

  •       At 0.01% loading, LTDF graphene increased thermal conductivity to 115% of baseline. Graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, graphene nanoplatelets, and functionalized graphene nanoplatelets measured 84%, 73%, 65%, and 71%, respectively.
  •       At 0.05% loading, LTDF graphene reached 204% of baseline thermal conductivity. The nearest incumbent material, graphene nanoplatelets, reached 130%, while graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, and functionalized graphene nanoplatelets measured 89%, 98%, and 90%.
  •       At 0.01% loading, LTDF graphene reached 104% of baseline thermal effusivity, while every incumbent graphene family material remained below baseline.
  •       At 0.05% loading, LTDF graphene reached 153% of baseline thermal effusivity versus 94% for graphene oxide, 99% for reduced graphene oxide, 116% for graphene nanoplatelets, and 95% for functionalized graphene nanoplatelets.

For us, the takeaway is simple: not all graphene is the same, and high-quality LTDF graphene has a clear leg up. These results show that morphology matters. When tested head-to-head in polyurethane at ultra-low loadings, LTDF graphene delivered meaningfully stronger thermal performance than the incumbent graphene family materials that define today’s commercial landscape.

That matters because ultra-low loading performance is what manufacturers actually want. It means formulators can pursue meaningful gains without heavily changing viscosity, processability, cure behavior, weight, or cost structure. It also opens the door to future-facing applications in thermal interface materials, coatings, adhesives, potting compounds, composite matrices, electronics packaging, transportation materials, and other advanced manufacturing systems, where improved heat transfer can translate into better product performance.

This is only the beginning. Avadain is moving forward with a broader campaign of direct, independent third-party comparisons between our LTDF graphene and incumbent graphene-family materials in other high-value applications. That includes electrical conductivity, composite mechanical strength properties, barrier and corrosion performance, tribology and lubrication, EMI shielding, coatings, battery and energy-storage components, and more.

Our goal is straightforward: generate credible external data that helps end users understand where LTDF graphene can create real, measurable product advantage. The Mississippi Polymer Institute results are an important milestone in that effort and reinforce what we have believed from the start: when graphene is made with the right structure, it can greatly outperform the incumbent graphene family materials that currently dominate the market.