Hot Springs, Ark. (August 30, 2017) – Alliance Rubber Company is proud to announce a partnership with the University of Sussex, U.K., to research and develop rubber products infused with graphene. The research program, under the guidance of Dr. Alan Dalton, professor of experimental physics, will develop new rubber products using graphene produced from Zenyatta graphite.
Graphene, a material 200 times stronger than steel, can enhance mechanical, thermal and electrical properties in many materials. When you add graphene to rubber, the rubber becomes lighter, stronger and conductive. Over the next year, Alliance will work with the university research program to determine the perfect graphene to rubber ratio.
“Alliance has a long history of innovation and it is vital for us to play an active role in leading edge rubber technology that uses a disruptive nanomaterial like graphene,” Jason Risner, director of business strategy at Alliance, said, “It is critical that we partner with scientific leaders like Dr. Alan Dalton at the University of Sussex.”
Products created through this research will continue Alliance’s position as a leader in rubber technology. The research program will focus on a rubber sensor product to be attached to produce. The band will change colors when the produce reaches a certain temperature or after a certain amount of time passes after harvest. Graphene products would also have the ability to act as a bar code for ease at grocery store checkout. Potential applications also include a band embedded with RFID tags that could be placed around credit/debit cards to prevent hackers from accessing personal information.
“We are thrilled to see the products that could potentially come out of our partnership. Graphene is an astonishing material that can revolutionize our lives,” Risner said. “Our company is proud to be on the cutting edge of something so new.”
Under the agreement with the University of Sussex, Alliance is sponsoring two graduate students who will work exclusively on the graphene project for the next three years. The partnership is a long-term investment for the U.S. manufacturing company who is dedicated to staying innovative and keeping jobs in America.
About Alliance Rubber Company
Since 1923, Alliance Rubber Company has been dedicated to “Holding Your World Together.” The company has grown into a global leader with more than 2,200 skus of mailing, shipping, office and packaging products sold through dealers in 55 countries. Under the current leadership of President Bonnie Swayze, Alliance continues its long history of innovation. Pioneering the women’s entrance into the boardroom, Swayze was the first female board member of the Wholesale Stationers Association and has served on the WBENC board and other HUB organizations.