On November 30, 2023, the 7th NEXCEL Series Forum on Hydro-carbon Based Graphene was hosted by NEXCEL. Four renowned experts were invited to deliver presentations on low-cost fabrication of graphene and its applications in asphalt, concrete, and coating in marine engineering. This forum, co-chaired by Prof. Yang Xiao-Yu from Wuhan University of Technology who is also the member of NEXCEL Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), and Dr. Li Juan, Program Director of NEXCEL, attracted participation from over 3000 professionals.
Prof. Yang Xiaoyu commenced the forum with a presentation titled "Low-cost and large-scale fabrication of graphene from low quality aromatic hydrocarbon and relevant application". In this briefing, Prof. Yang unveiled a uncharted technique that utilizes hydrocarbon-based products to synthesize graphene, resulting in low-cost, large-scale with a remarkable price that is 10% of traditional graphite-based methods. Moreover, Professor Yang emphasized the immense potential of graphene in the fields of concrete, sealant materials, rubber compounds, and aluminum alloys.
Prof. Meng Yongjun from Guangxi University gave a report titled “Study on application of graphene in asphalt mixture”. Prof. Meng has proposed graphene composite modified rubber asphalt technology to address issues such as high-temperature rutting and low-temperature cracking in rubber asphalt. Additionally, the construction process for graphene asphalt mixtures has been established, and a demonstration of their application on highway projects in Guangxi Province has been successfully carried out.
Associate Professor Geng Wei from Sun Yat-sen University conducted a study titled "Graphene-based multifunctional porous coating for marine engineering applications". Prof. Geng Wei introduced various materials and their preparation techniques for marine applications, including graphene-modified anti-corrosion coatings, corrosion-resistant graphene thin films and graphene-based thermal-absorbing coatings for 5G communications, and others. These novel materials have been successfully applied in marine engineering, addressing the issue of marine corrosion.
Duan Haitao, Professor of China Academy of Machinery Wuhan Research Institute of Materials Protection, gave a report titled "Research and application of graphene special composite coating materials". With a focus on addressing the challenges related to interfacial regulation in the application of graphene-based anti-corrosion coatings, Prof. Duan successfully developed solvent-free long-lasting graphene anti-corrosion coating products. These advancements have found practical applications in various fields, including corrosion protection of islands and reefs and erosion-resistant coatings.
In the final Salon/ Q&A session, experts engaged in interactive discussions with online scholars on various topics related to graphene, such as the cost of graphene fabrication, the tensile and flexural strength of graphene anti-corrosion coatings, future research directions for graphene coatings, and their commercial applications.
NEXCEL 2023 series of forum came to a successful conclusion. This event consisted of seven forums that invited 30 renowned domestic experts, captivating an audience of over 25,000 online viewers. These forums are highlighted in public welfare, broad subject areas, high level of experts, equal emphasis on theory and application practice, wide audience participation and strong interaction. The aspiration was to present the most cutting-edge theories, outstanding products, and greatest applications, thus propelling professionals in the industry to deepen their understanding and utilization of sustainable nonmetallic materials. May this endeavor contribute to the realization of global low-carbon objectives.