Black Swan Graphene Sees Significant Gains in Packaging and Automotive Applications

Black Swan Graphene Inc. (TSXV: SWAN, OTCQX: BSWGF) is demonstrating promising advances with its graphene-enhanced products in both consumer packaging and mobility sectors, based on recent large-scale customer trials conducted by a leading global masterbatch manufacturer. The company reports that its graphene formulations have shown better performance than competing materials in key applications, signaling a strong potential for widespread adoption. 

In consumer packaging, trials focused on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and films found that Black Swan’s graphene-enhanced masterbatch significantly improves oxygen and water vapor barrier properties. These improvements can extend shelf life and maintain product quality more effectively than existing graphene alternatives, according to feedback from a major customer. This client is currently proceeding with further diligence and commercial discussions, potentially moving toward a long-term supply relationship. 

To support this opportunity, Black Swan has initiated a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval process with a well-recognized third-party certification body. Gaining FDA food-contact clearance through a Food Contact Notification (FCN) could be a critical milestone that opens the door for Black Swan’s graphene-enhanced packaging solutions to enter global food and consumer goods supply chains at scale. 

On the mobility front, the company’s trials in automotive plastics involving polypropylene (PP) and polyamide (PA) polymers have delivered notable results. The graphene-enhanced materials demonstrated an impressive increase in impact resistance along with lightweighting benefits. Both of these qualities are key drivers for fuel efficiency and safety improvements in the automotive industry, especially as it transitions toward electrification and more sustainable vehicle design. 

Further expanding this potential, Black Swan shows similar performance enhancements in construction applications. Trials with polypropylene pipes indicate significant lightweighting or downgauging potential, allowing manufacturers to reduce material use and costs while maintaining structural integrity. These gains highlight graphene’s role in boosting performance and supporting more sustainable manufacturing processes across multiple industries. 

Underpinning these advances is the company’s patented Graphene-Enhanced Masterbatch (GEM) technology, developed over years of internal research and verified independently through partnerships including the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC). Black Swan highlights consistency as a critical factor for successful commercial adoption, and their trials confirm that GEM products offer reliable and scalable improvements in polymer performance without disrupting existing supply chains. 

One standout performance metric comes from polypropylene, where the addition of just 1% graphene leads to a 30% improvement in impact resistance, measured by the Notched Izod test. This constitutes a significant breakthrough, enabling new application possibilities in packaging and transportation industries that demand both durability and light weight. Alongside enhanced impact resistance, the graphene masterbatches demonstrate improved processability, contributing to overall cost-effectiveness. 

Moreover, Black Swan has collaborated with a leading industrial polymer manufacturer focusing on electric vehicle polymers, achieving a 20% increase in tensile strength with a minimal 0.2% graphene loading. This progress aligns with industry goals to reduce vehicle weight, improve thermal management, and minimize environmental impact, signaling strong potential for graphene-enhanced plastics in electric vehicle production. 

To meet anticipated demand, Black Swan is expanding its UK production capacity to approximately 140 tonnes per year. This expansion places the company among the larger graphene producers globally and helps create favorable pricing dynamics as volumes scale. The move leverages existing infrastructure to avoid large capital expenditures and accelerate time to market. 

The markets Black Swan targets are substantial. The PET bottle and film segment alone is valued globally at around $45-50 billion, with steady growth expected in the coming decade. Automotive polymers remain a large and growing sector as lightweighting requirements and impact performance remain key to regulatory compliance and consumer expectations. Plastic piping, with its focus on downgauging to reduce material costs while maintaining strength, also represents an important growth area. 

Black Swan’s CEO Simon Marcotte expressed confidence in the company’s approach, emphasizing that the successful trials validate the technical and commercial viability of their GEM products. He noted that their solution allows manufacturers to integrate graphene seamlessly into current production lines, unlocking performance benefits at industrial scale. Marcotte highlighted that these outcomes not only meet performance targets but also open significant near-term commercial opportunities. 

Black Swan Graphene’s recent trial results across consumer packaging and mobility applications underscore the growing readiness of graphene-enhanced polymers for commercial use. By focusing on high-impact sectors like PET packaging and automotive polymers, expanding production capacity, and pursuing crucial certifications, the company is advancing the adoption of graphene technology at scale.