With Graphene Coatings gaining traction, recognition and popularity, we need to properly educate our clients be it installers or vehicle owners.
I think it is only right we clear the air once and for all. Many have been misinformed or misunderstood how it works or what Artdeshine are. The common misconception is we are installing a one atom thick layer of pure graphene on the surface. That also translates to the saying "pure graphene is too expensive and not realistic to cover the whole vehicle". That is not how it works or how it should work. All our marketing materials tell the truth - reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO) is dispersed in a polymer (it can be PDMS, Polysiloxane, Silane, etc. ) or generally what we call Ceramic, quartz, glass and all that. Almost all coatings are actually varieties of silicone polymers which is what they should really be called. Names like Ceramic, Glass, Quartz, SiO2 are just names. In the case of Artdeshine and SPS Graphene Coatings, PDMS is the primary type of polymer used.
The rGO is utilised for its anti corrosion properties (reducing etching, spotting, staining) and for reinforcing the polymeric structure or matrixes, resulting a stronger and tougher coating. And because the weight of rGO is so light in comparison to volume, the ratio or percentage of rGO content in a coating may seem miniscule when compared using weight but is more than sufficient to perform its intended purposes. So, once again, the coating is not a one atom thick layer of graphene, it is rGO in a polymer coating.
The polymer used in Artdeshine's product, PDMS has very low thermal conductivity, absorbing less heat when exposed. And if heat has been absorbed, the better dissipation and thermal conductivity ability of reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO) will help to negate. What we do not want is all that heat absorbed to be trapped. To say it simply, this is a case of using rGO to reduce the insulation (keeping heat) properties of PDMS.
Artdeshine has never touted using flames in any of our tests or marketing materials. This serves no purpose to demonstrate any capability of our coatings. We are not making fire-proof/retardant materials. And again, we are not touting thermal insulation as a beneficial property, we are trying to negate insulation.
Water repellent capabilities do not come from the use of rGO and can be seen in our marketing materials and information. A very high polymer (PDMS) content is used to achieve the better water-repellent effects. The polymer has been functionalized to provide much better water repellent capabilities.
The water-repellent properties will not be affected by the use of rGO. Our rGO is not functionalized to do that. rGO with it's much smaller particle size will help with better dispersion in a silicone polymer coating by spreading out the rGO to form a more uniformed stronger composite that is able to resist corrosion throughout.
A suitable metaphor would be to compare sugar that is not dissolved vs fully dissolved sugar in tea. You will be able to fully enjoy the benefits of sugar if fully dissolved. But of course rGO will not dissolve in silicone polymers, thorough and even dispersion is key.
Calling our product Nano Graphene Coating is to simplify recognition and identity and not to indicate that the coating is pure Graphene. This is similar to giving naming terms like Ceramic, Glass, Quartz to the actual name Silicone Polymer Coatings.
Director
Artdeshine Singapore
