The MasterGraphene project, presented by the company Avanzare, aims to develop a family of high–graphene-content masterbatch (MB) compounds (up to 60%) that will serve as an industrial intermediate, ready for use in the manufacture of high-performance advanced plastic materials. This solution addresses the market need for functional polymers that incorporate the exceptional properties of graphene without altering existing processing technologies. The target market primarily includes the automotive, electrical/electronic, construction, and sustainable mobility sectors, with a particular focus on replacing traditional materials with lighter, more efficient, and more sustainable solutions.

Avanzare is a company with over 10 years of experience in the development and production of graphene and other nanomaterials, and is an active member of the EU Graphene Flagship. The company operates R&D laboratories, a production facility exceeding 10,000 m², and a dedicated pilot plant for polymer compounds.

The need for this project arises from the technological challenge of integrating graphene homogeneously and safely into thermoplastic matrices at industrial scale, overcoming issues related to aggregation, dispersion, and incompatibility between the matrix and the additive. The costly modifications required in plastic production facilities, due to graphene’s high surface-to-weight ratio, as well as safety concerns such as exposure to nanomaterials in powder form, hinder the straightforward integration of graphene into the plastics industry.

This project is fully aligned with Avanzare’s strategy to lead innovation in functional nanomaterials and to expand their impact in global industrial applications, while maintaining sustained and sustainable growth.