January31,2017GrafoidIntroducesGrafeneX–aCost-EffectiveGrapheneAdherent,TunableandMulti-FunctionalCoatingTechnologyforLargeSurfaceIndustrialApplications

ANovelPlatformforIndustrialScaleHydrophobic/HydrophilicUltra-ThinGrapheneCoatingsforMetal,Glass,

Polymer,CeramicandOtherSubstrateApplications

KINGSTON,Ontario–GrafoidInc.,aworldleadinggrapheneR&DandinvestmentcompanyannouncedtodayitsentryintotheglobalindustrialcoatingsmarketwiththeintroductionofitspatentpendingGrafeneXgraphenecoatingstechnology.GrafeneXisanoveltechnologythatcreatesaplatformforthedepositionofGrapheneandchemicallyfunctionalizedGraphenecoatings.ThisenablingprocessprovidesGrafoidwith thecapability toapply itsdiversegraphene-based coatings tomany different types ofmaterial substrateswith controllable levels ofsurfacecoverage,thicknessetc.tomeetpreciseenduserrequirements.Oneofthekeyobstaclestographene’sbroad,universalindustrialacceptanceistheabsencetodateoflow-cost,highperforminggrapheneapplicationsthatcanbesuccessfullyadaptedforuse across all industrial sectors. BCCMarketResearch reports the globalmarket forpaintsandcoatings isanticipatedtorise to$164.1billion in2021atacompoundannualgrowthrateof4.4%from2016-2021.Othermarketresearchindicatesevenhigherrevenuevalues.GrafoidPresidentandCEOGaryEconomodescribed theGrafeneX technologiesasacost-effectivewayoflayingdowngraphenecoatingsonlargesurfaceareas.“Demand exists for advanced multifunctional technologies capable of successfullydisruptingexistingbusinessmodels,”Mr.Economosaid. “Webelieveournovel, low-cost,coating technologies will encourage interest from those industries developing nextgenerationmaterialsandproducts.”AboutGrafeneXThe GrafeneX process applies Graphene based coatings to substrate materials includingpolymers,glasses,mostmetalsandrefractories(SeeFigure1).

ImagesFigure1.ScanningElectronImagesatvariousmagnificationsshowingthestructureofgraphene-basedcoatingsdepositedona)Siwafers,andb)Alsubstratewhichwereintentionallypartiallycovered.GrafeneXisappliedusingaproprietary,roomtemperature,top-downprocess,designedasan inline continuous surface conversion process compatible with most conventionalindustrialcoil-to-coilandroll-to-rollcoatingfacilities.In its typical embodiment, the process sequence would include: surface preparation(cleaning & activation), graphene oxide application, removal of a benign carrier andconversiontoaGraphenebasedsurfacecoating.To the greatest degree, the GrapheneX process uses commonly available conversioncoatingtechnologies,hasastraightforwardmodulardesignwithacompactfootprintthatisscalable with production speed. A GrafeneX line can either be retrofitted to existingfinishinglines,orfunctionasastand-alonefinishingsystem.Mr.Economosaidthat theGrafeneX lineof technologiesandservicesareconsistentwithGrafoid’s businessmodel for long-term growth and revenue sustainability through jointventuring,licensingandfeesforservices.

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“Asoftoday,withnearzerocompetition,ourGrafeneXtechnologiespositionourCompanyusasafront-runnerforlargeareagraphenecoatingsdevelopment,”Mr.Economosaid.GrafeneXenablingcharacteristicsandpropertiesinclude:

o Theabilitytocoatlargesurfacesonmetals,semiconductors,ceramics,polymersandglassandtheabilitytocoatfibers,rodsandbars

o Designed for coil-to-coil and conveyor applications from batch to continuousprocess

o Environmentallysafetobenign,flexibletechnologyintermsofcoatingsusesfor:hydrophobic,hydrophilic,superhydrophobic,oleophobicandoleophilicapplications

o Variablecoatingthickness(frommonolayertofewlayer)o Manyofthephysical/chemicalpropertiesaretunable(Figure2)o Good adhesion to substrates (as tested using the ASTM E-335 on aluminum foil)

(Figure3)GrafeneXcoatingtechnologymaybeusedinvariousindustrial,consumer,military,marine,avionics, energy storage, packaging, building materials, electronics, transportation,environmentalremediation,intelligentfabrics,sportinggoodsandmedicalindustries.FourversionsofGrafeneXcoatingslabeledAtoDareavailable,namely:GrafeneX (A) which serves many sectors as a precursor coating with hydrophilicproperties.GrafeneX (B) are electrically conductive, hydrophobic coatings, orwith tunable electricconductionandmaybeusedfor:

• Li-ionbatteryelectrodematerials,orotherenergystoragedevices• Supercapacitors• EMIshieldingapplications• Transparentandflexibleelectronics• Nanoelectronics• Nanogenerators• Solarcells• Fuelcellsandhydrogenstorage• Photodetectors• OrganicLEDs(OLEDs)anddisplays• Corrosionprotection

GrafeneX(C)aresuper-hydrophobiccoatingswhichmaybeusedas:

• Water-repellantandanti-foulingcoatings

• Self-cleaningsurfaces• Anti-icingandanti-foggingcoatingsfor:

– Windows– Eyeglasses

• Corrosionprotectivecoatingsforavarietyofindustries,including:– Automotive– Marine

GrafeneX(D)coatingshavehydrophilicpropertiesandmaybeusedas:

• Paintprimersandpre-treatments• Adhesion-promotingcoatingsforjoiningtwodissimilarmaterials,suchasattaching

polymerstometals(example:automotiveindustry)Moreintensiveapplicationscanpotentiallyinclude:

• Surfacemodificationofimplantsorscaffoldmaterialsintissueengineering• Drugdelivery&cancertherapy• Bio-sensors,electrochemicalbiosensors• Other types of sensors, such as: Contact sensors, nanoelectromechanical sensors,

chemicalsensors,non-contactsensors,etc.AboutGrafoidInc.Grafoid is focused on three areas of graphene-related technology development seen as“low-hangingfruit”forindustrialadoption.They are graphene based materials for energy creation, storage and transmission;graphenebasedpolymersand;graphenecoatingsforallindustrialsectors.GrafoidisaworldleadinggrapheneR&Dandinvestmentcompany.Thecompanyprovidesexpertise aswell as product and processes for transformative, industrial-scale grapheneapplicationsinpartnershipwithleadingcorporationsandinstitutionsaroundtheworld.A privately held Canadian corporation, Grafoid invests in graphene applications andeconomically scalable productionprocesses for graphene and graphenederivatives fromraw,unprocessedgraphiteore.FocusGraphite Inc.holdsa significant interest inGrafoidInc. Incorporated in 2011, Grafoid's global enterprise platform includes 17 subsidiarycompanies engaged in the development of Mesograf™ materials and products, andGrafeneX ultra-thin graphene industrial coatings and commercialization developmentservices. They include, but are not limited to: Mesograf™ lithium batteries for electricvehicles, consumer electronics, and industrial energy storage; polymers, plastics, rubber,

elastomers,andcompositematerials; fiberscience includingaluminumalloys; lubricants;fire retardant materials; thermal management solutions; EMI/RFI/EMP shielding; solarsolutions,andanalyticaltesting;andlaboratoryservices.Grafoid'sresearchissupportedthroughtheIndustrialResearchAssistanceProgram(IRAP)oftheNationalResearchCouncilofCanada,and,onFebruary20,2015,Grafoidreceivedan$8.1millioninvestmentfromtheSDTechFund™ofSustainableDevelopmentTechnologyCanada(SDTC)todevelopatechnologythatwillautomateMesograf™grapheneproductionandend-productdevelopment.SDTCismandatedbytheGovernmentofCanadatosupportcleantechnologycompaniesastheymovetheirtechnologiestomarket.FormoreinformationaboutGrafoid,pleasevisithttp://www.grafoid.com Contact:GrafoidInc.GaryEconomoPresidentandCEOgeconomo@grafoid.com

Figure2.a)Conversionefficienciesfordifferentprocessconditions,andb)ExamplesofwatercontactanglevaluesmeasuredonvariousGrafeneXcoatings.

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Figure3.ScanningElectronImageshowingtheASTMD3359testresultsforaGrafeneXBcoatingdepositedonanaluminumsubstrate.ThetestappliesaPermacel99polyesterfiberpackagingtapetooneportionofthesampleinordertoquantifythecoatingadhesion.ThescratchhasbeenappliedtosurfaceofAltoindicatewheretapehasandhasnotbeenapplied.

Tapeappliedandremoved

Notapeapplied