First Graphene to sell PureGRAPH in Australia with NICNAS application

Advanced materials company First Graphene (ASX: FGR) has applied to have its trademarked PureGRAPH graphene assessed by The National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS).

Should the company be successful in its application to list on the Australian Inventory of Chemical Substances (AICS), it will pave the way for it to sell PureGRAPH in Australia.

It is necessary for all producers, or potential producers, of graphene to complete the NICNAS application which would also enable the company to import or manufacture the new chemical under this registration.

First Graphene said it had worked closely with its consultants to submit a comprehensive application to NICNAS which has entailed providing items such as chemical characterisation, toxicology and environmental information.

The NICNAS forms part of the Australian Government’s Department of Health unit focused on the industrial use of chemicals.

As a chemical, graphene is considered one of the lightest and strongest materials available and has a powerful ability to conduct heat and electricity, making it useful in various applications.

First mover advantage

According to the firm, it is the first graphene entity in Australia to make an application to the NICNAS for the for listing on AICS of graphene as a nano-material.

An advantage of being a first mover is that once the new chemical is approved, it is kept confidential for the first five years. This is referred to as the ‘non-listing period’ and enables First Graphene to import or manufacture the new chemical.

The company is moving quickly to expand its graphene business having also been accepted onto the REACH registry following its recent application for its PureGRAPH graphene products in Europe.

First Graphene managing director Craig McGuckin said the application was another step forward in the growth of its graphene materials business in Australia.

“In conjunction with First Graphene’s recent REACH registration it demonstrates our position as the leading ethical supplier of tonnage quantities of high-quality graphene products,” he said.

Last November, the company secured a new contract introducing its PureGRAPH range of graphene products into the cement industry.

First Graphene labelled the client a “leading supplier” of cement and lime to Western Australia’s mining, agriculture and construction industries.

The company also has collaboration arrangements with three universities and is working with numerous industry partners for the commercialisation of graphene.