Bill Spurr · Multimedia Journalist | 

Paul Beasant says the biggest challenge in working with graphene is not taking on too many projects, so incredible is the material’s potential.

Graphene is a form of powdered carbon.

“You don’t make things with graphene, you make other things better with it,” said Beasant, CEO of Nova Graphene, which is working on a $975,000 contract extension from the Department of National Defence to make lightweight ballistic (bullet proof) armour.

“Graphene is a unique form of carbon, just like diamond is a unique form of carbon. There are two main grades … kind of like filet mignon versus ground beef,” said Beasant, adding that the higher grade comes in at two million particles per gram of powder.

 “Many of these particles are just one layer, one atom thick, so in its purest form, the thinnest substance known to man.”

The graphene that is the company’s raw material is made through a proprietary, and renewable, process to exfoliate graphite without the use of chemicals. The DND project has the company working to develop 3D printable ballistic plates for use in bulletproof vests.

“What we’re doing is compounding these powders into different materials, specifically nylon and something called PEEK, polyether ether ketone, which is one of the strongest thermal plastics in the world. The graphene, when added, makes it even stronger and better than it was before,” Beasant said. “They’re typically a 10- by 12-inch chest plate, so they’re not the full vest, they’re what goes into the vest.”

Armour used by the military and police officers is “pretty much a standard size,” determined by the U.S.-based National Institute of Justice. Beasant says that is one of the most obvious areas that needs to be improved.

“Our end goal is that we’ll be able to do a body scan of the soldier or law enforcement officer and make sure their chest plate, their helmet, whatever, fits absolutely perfectly. The better the fit, the better the comfort level and mobility, the better your survivability,” he said. “They’re used by females, certainly, but there isn’t any accommodation for the female form. On that front, we’re getting a little extra attention because to be able to fit any body shape, whether you’re small, tall, female, male.”

The cost of a vest ranges from $500-$2,000, depending on brand and whether you’re stopping a handgun bullet or a sniper rifle.

COO Michael Wise said the Nova Graphene vests will be dramatically lighter than those currently on the market, which provides all kinds of benefits.

“Increased endurance, increased mobility, (improved) response time and increased survivability,” Wise said. “So, if we can reduce the weight of their kit, we’re going to contribute to a soldier being more effective in the field.”

A specialized 3D printer is on its way from Israel to Nova Graphene’s office in Burnside at a cost of $50,000.

The company recently finished two other defence-related contracts.

“One was to develop coatings for helicopter rotors that would minimize abrasive wear, and also provide additional UV and chemical resistance,” Beasant said. “The other helicopter thing we did is called a leading-edge strip. The very front edge of the blade is going through the air and obviously gets the most abuse, whether it be from ice pellets or sand or whatever.”

Nova Graphene is also finalizing a contract with Environment Canada to put graphene into tire rubber to minimize tire wear and consequently minimize the microplastics wearing off the tires and going into the environment.

The company employs five people right now, but that’s expected to double in a year.

PRESS RELEASE: Nova Graphene has been awarded a 20-month Phase II contract extension by the Department of National Defence (Canada) to continue their development of lightweight ballistic armor for personal protection using additive manufacturing.

Current ballistic protection systems – or “bullet-proof armor” – tend to be heavy, bulky, and limit mobility. They frequently contribute to overheating & discomfort and alter natural movement biomechanics, which may increase the risk of injury. In addition, current systems lack the modularity and scalability that will enable the adoption of less burdensome solutions and improve integrated survivability.

Nova Graphene Canada is leveraging its proprietary graphene-enhanced technology to provide the means to significantly improve these characteristics, with the aim of increasing survivability, performance, and unit effectiveness.

C.E.O. Paul Beasant is honored the company was chosen from an elite field to continue to spearhead this important R&D effort: “We look forward to expanding our work to commercialize 3D-printed ballistic plates to help safeguard the members of our military. Not only do we anticipate these plates being incredibly light, but are working to custom print them from 3D body scans of the soldiers, so items

such as chest plates and helmets will fit perfectly.

“As our production capabilities continue to expand, we also look forward to making our products available to our allies and to members of law enforcement, and eventually for custom applications such as motorcycle and sports helmets.”

About The Company: Graphene, a revolutionary carbon allotrope, is the future of all sectors of manufacturing. Nova Graphene is an international provider of unique graphenes and graphene-enhanced product formulations. Their blends – including CarbonEra BlackTM and CarbonEra PlatinumTM – have successfully & dramatically improved the properties of everything from concrete & composites to lubricants & 3D printing filaments.

This is the 5th Defence contract awarded to Nova Graphene. 

For more information about Nova Graphene, contact the company here:

Nova Graphene

Paul Beasant

From November 11-13, Nova Graphene (NG) attended the 2022 International Graphene Innovation Conference (‘GrapChina 2022’) in Shanghai.  The 2022 event was the 9th edition of this annual conference of the graphene industry in China.  Hosted by the Innovation Alliance of the Graphene Industry (CGIA), GrapChina has become a well-recognized event of the industry for exchanges and discussions on commercial applications of graphene.  The conference was also accompanied by a co-located exhibition – International Graphene Application Exhibition (IGA Expo).

NG learned at GrapChina that Consumer Electronics (eg. 5G cellphones) and Energy Storage (eg. Li-ion batteries for Electric Vehicles) are the two biggest market segments of graphene application in China.  In the consumer markets, graphene-enabled heating products/systems have been successfully commercialized. Researches on graphene/metal composites and anti-corrosion coatings have also attracted cross-sectoral attention.  

The conference provided an excellent opportunity for NG to get connected with the graphene industry in China as well as to obtain first-hand information on the graphene market in China – the biggest manufacturer and user of graphene in the world.

This is the 4th trip to China for NG in an effort to forge a presence and collaborations in the region.