SNS FiRe Conference Names Haydale a 2015 FiReStarter Company

Strategic News Service (SNS) is proud to announce that Haydale Graphene Industries Plc has been selected as a 2015 FiReStarter company to be featured at the 13th annual Future in Review (FiRe) conference. Described by The Economist as “the best technology conference in the world,” FiRe features global thought leaders in technology and the global economy, including Elon Musk, Craig Venter, Michael Dell, Vint Cerf, Leroy Hood, Patti Grace Smith, Mark Hurd, Paul Jacobs, and many others. FiReStarters are selected based on the strength of their innovations and their potential to bring positive change to the world, and are showcased at an exclusive investor reception at the FiRe conference, in panels throughout the event, and with ongoing relationships introduced and supported by SNS.

Haydale, based in South Wales, has developed a patent-pending proprietary scalable plasma process to functionalize graphene and other nanomaterials. This enabling technology can provide Haydale with a rapid and highly cost-efficient method of supplying tailored solutions to enhance applications for both raw material suppliers and product manufacturers.

The Haydale plasma process does not use wet chemistry, nor does it damage the material being processed; rather, it can clean up any impurities inherent in the raw material. The technology is a low energy user and, most important, environmentally friendly. The Haydale method is an enabling technology, allowing the company to work with a raw material producer that seeks to add value to the base product and tailor the outputs to meet the target applications of product manufacturers.

The Materials Science Department of The Aerospace Corporation stated, in a paper published in The Journal of Applied Polymer Science (2014,131,[18]DOI: 10.1002/app.40802), that having purchased and used Haydale Graphene Nano Platelets in a composite project the work demonstrated a significant increase (over 100%) in strength in toughened epoxy composites.

“Everyone has been saying that graphene is the next big thing, and we at Haydale believe that. However, to get the most out of the amazing properties of graphene, it needs to be capable of dispersing homogeneously in the target material. In addition to the research conducted by The Aerospace Corporation, using our plasma functionalisation process we have also achieved some truly staggering increases in the mechanical strength and stiffness of resins — so much so that there are opportunities to reduce the layers of glass fiber and carbon fiber in composite systems which could lead to significant weight savings with all the attendant benefits that brings,” said Ray Gibbs, CEO of Haydale.

“While many now understand the amazing properties of graphene, Haydale is leading its commercialization through a combination of innovation and product consistency. We have been longtime evangelists for graphene’s role in a sustainable future, and we are big believers in Haydale’s place in that universe. And we are delighted to have them with us as a FiReStarter company this year,” said Mark Anderson, FiRe chair and CEO of the Strategic News Service.

Future in Review is a gathering of world-class thought leaders, convened each year with the goal of providing the most accurate look forward in technology. FiRe is a world leader in exploring how technology drives the world economy and in using technology to solve major social challenges. These goals have been consistently achieved through FiRe’s collaboration across technology-driven industries and through active support from the global FiRe community. Now in its 13th year, FiRe 2015 will take place October 6-9, 2015 at the Stein Eriksen Lodge Deer Valley in Park City, Utah.

To register for FiRe 2015, go to www.futureinreview.com.