Turquoise Group graphene delivers stronger and more durable epoxy coatings, and up to 60% less rust creep

Laboratory results demonstrate potential for improved marine, shipping and industrial protection with low graphene additions.

BRISBANE, Australia — Turquoise Group, a verified graphene producer through the Advanced Carbons Council (ACC), has announced promising epoxy protective coating results demonstrating increased surface hardness, improved weathering performance and reduced corrosion spread. The company’s few-layer synthetic graphene is manufactured from methane gas, averages five layers and comprises 98.5% carbon and 1.5% oxygen, with no other measurable impurities (TG Graphene).

Testing across two epoxy coating systems demonstrated how low additions of TG Graphene can enhance protective performance, supporting opportunities to develop more durable coatings for shipping, marine infrastructure and industrial assets.

The programs evaluated graphene loadings of 0.1%, 0.5% and 1.0% by weight in a two-component epoxy formulation and a commercial, high-performance zinc-rich epoxy primer.

Improved hardness and resistance to environmental exposure

Testing evaluated a two-component epoxy system formulated from commercially available resin and curing-agent components. The study examined the ability of TG Graphene to improve surface hardness, accelerated weathering resistance and protective barrier performance.

Compared with the unmodified control, the graphene-enhanced formulations achieved:

• Approximately 61% higher pendulum hardness (ASTM D4366-16) at 0.5% graphene loading
• No measurable surface degradation after 1,000 hours of accelerated UV and condensation exposure (ASTM G154-23) at 0.5% and 1.0% loading, compared with 35.6% degraded surface area in the control.
• No measurable surface degradation after the maximum run time of 602 hours (due to equipment limitation) of salt-fog exposure (ASTM B117-26) at all three graphene loadings, compared with 14.1% degradation surface area in the control.

Surface degradation was assessed using image analysis. These results demonstrate the potential for small graphene additions to improve multiple aspects of epoxy coating performance.

The findings support the commercial development for applications such as shipboard equipment and superstructures, port infrastructure, industrial machinery, and exposed structural components, with formulations tailored to each operating environment.

Reduced corrosion spread in a high-performance zinc-rich epoxy

A second program evaluated TG Graphene in a commercial zinc-rich epoxy primer, a type of protective coating used on steel in demanding marine and industrial environments, typically as part of a multi-coat protective system.

Following 1,000 hours of salt-fog exposure on X-scribed steel panels (ATSM B117-26, ASTM D1654), the graphene-enhanced coating achieved reductions of up to:

• 44% in maximum corrosion creepage.
• 43% in mean corrosion-zone width.
• 60% in rust creep.

All three maximum reductions were achieved at 1.0% graphene loading compared with the unmodified control. The results demonstrate reduced corrosion spread around deliberately damaged areas of the coating, a relevant consideration for assets exposed to harsh conditions and mechanical damage.

A commercial opportunity in marine and shipping

Turquoise Group is prioritising epoxy protective coatings as an application development focus, with particular interest in the marine and shipping sectors.

For shipowners, shipyards and infrastructure operators, more durable protective coatings could help extend maintenance intervals, reduce repainting requirements and lower the costs associated with corrosion and asset downtime. The laboratory results provide a foundation for application-specific development and field validation.

“These results show that relatively small additions of TG Graphene can deliver meaningful improvements in epoxy coating performance,” said Samuel Taubert, CEO of Turquoise Group.

“For shipping and marine operators, the opportunity is compelling: better protection for valuable assets, with the potential to reduce maintenance costs and disruption. We want to work with coating manufacturers and industry partners to translate these results into practical, commercially competitive products.”

Turquoise Group welcomes discussions with protective coating manufacturers, formulators, shipyards and asset owners interested in graphene supply, joint product development and application trials.

Results relate to the formulations and laboratory conditions tested. Service-life and cost benefits require validation in the intended application.

About Turquoise Group

Turquoise Group is a Brisbane-based graphene platform company manufacturing synthetic graphene from methane gas using proprietary technology. The company combines bulk graphene production with application development partnerships to help manufacturers improve material performance and bring graphene-enhanced products to market.

Further information: www.turquoisegroup.com.au