VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA and NEW YORK, NEW YORK–(Marketwired – Sept. 17, 2013) – LOMIKO METALS INC. (TSX VENTURE:LMR)(PINKSHEETS:LMRMF)(FRANKFURT:DH8B) (Europe: ISIN: CA54163Q1028, WKN: A0Q9W7) (the “Company”) is pleased to announce that graphite to graphene conversion using flake graphite from their Quatre Milles property, as tested at Graphene Laboratories Inc. (“Graphene Labs”), has been successful. The graphite samples were converted to Graphene Oxide (“GO”) and Reduced Graphene Oxide (“RGO”), similar to materials which are currently available for sale on www.graphene-supermarket.com.
“One of the barriers to widespread use of graphene is the cost of producing it in useable forms. By confirming that graphene may be easily created from natural flake graphite, Graphene Labs and Lomiko hope to produce the material on a larger scale and at a reduced price.”, stated A. Paul Gill, Lomiko Metals INC CEO.
In the first step of the conversion process the natural graphite flakes were oxidized and turned into GO by modified Hummer’s method. As the result, a stable aqueous dispersion with concentration of 40 g/L was obtained. Further, the GO was converted into RGO. The specific surface area of the RGO was found to be 500 m2/g and its electrical conductivity 4 S/cm. These values are similar or exceeding the values for the RGO obtained from other samples of natural graphite taken for comparison and processed by the same procedure. The RGO samples will be used further for preparation of a supercapacitor prototype and samples of graphene-base composite material for further testing.
“Quality of graphene materials strongly depend upon quality of the starting material, graphite. We are greatly pleased with results of testing of Lomiko’s mineral samples and looking forward using of this material in our R&D program as well as production. We hope to use Quatre Milles graphite to reduce costs and create new product lines” stated Elena Polyakova, CEO of Graphene Labs.
Lomiko will continue providing mineral samples from the Quatre Milles Project, as required for further testing of the conversion of natural high quality flake graphite to graphene. The primary goal of future testing by Graphene Labs is to develop a commercially viable procedure for the purification of flake graphite, which may then be used in large-scale graphene production.
Lomiko and Graphene Labs plan to co-develop a vertically integrated supply chain for large-scale graphene production; key factors to their success will include a secure supply of high-quality graphite, cost-effective and scalable processing, and high quality control. These factors are expected to ultimately result in the integration of graphene-based products into end-user goods. Lomiko’s high quality graphite and the extensive customer database cultivated by the experts at Graphene Labs will prove indispensable to reaching production and commercialization goals.
Graphene derived from the Quatre Milles graphite will also be used in the development of graphene-based supercapacitors. This project is being done in collaboration with the SUNY Research Foundation at Stony Brook University, which umbrellas the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center (AERTC) and the Center for Advanced Technology in Diagnostic Tools and Sensor Systems (Sensor CAT).
Graphene Laboratories Inc. Background
Graphene Laboratories, Inc., located in Calverton, NY, specializes in the manufacture and sale of research materials to R&D markets, with the world’s largest selection of advanced and 2D materials. Having been first in the market to introduce graphene materials for research use, the company is working towards industrial-scale production of graphene and graphene-like materials, currently with pilot-scale production capabilities. The team at Graphene Laboratories are recognized experts in graphene materials, with staff regularly presenting at international conferences and exhibitions. Researchers at Graphene Labs also specialize in custom projects and R&D.
Graphene Laboratories Inc. operates both the Graphene Supermarket® (www.graphene-supermarket.com) and Maximum Materials™ (www.maximum-materials.com), and is a leading supplier of advanced 2D materials to thousands of customers around the globe. The company offers a wide variety of graphene materials, as well as other advanced 2D nanomaterials such as molybdenum disulfide, tungsten disulfide, and boron nitride products.
For more information on Graphene Laboratories, Inc, visit www.graphenelabs.com.
Lomiko Metals Inc Background
Lomiko Metals Inc. is a Canada-based, exploration-stage company. The Company is engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of resource properties that contain minerals for the new green economy. Its mineral properties include the Quatre Milles Graphite Property and the Vines Lake property which both have had recent major discoveries. In April, 2012, a 122 Ha zinc anomaly in soils was found on the Company’s 100% owned Vines Lake property. The Vines Lake property is located in the southwestern corner of the Cassiar Gold District. The Vines Lake property consists of fifteen claims comprising 5,290 hectares. In October and November, 2012, Lomiko Metals Inc. announced 11 drill holes had intercepted several high grade intercepts of 9.81%, 10.11% and 10.80% over 3 to 5 metres in length 4.77 metres or less from the surface at the 3,780 Ha Quatre Milles Property indicating open pit potential. Further testing indicated the carbon content of the flake graphite ranged from under 94% (amorphous) to 100.00% (ultra-pure). The project is located 175 km north of the Port of Montreal and 26 km from a major highway on a well-maintained gravel road.
Jean-Sebastien Lavallée (OGQ #773), geologist and a Qualified Person under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the geological technical content of this release.
Daniel Stolyarov, Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Southern California, CTO of Graphene Laboratories Inc, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical content of this release.
For more information on Lomiko Metals Inc., review the website at www.lomiko.com.
On Behalf of the Board
A. Paul Gill, Chief Executive Officer
We seek safe harbor. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
