HydroGraph, Sparc move graphene coatings toward commercial testing for infrastructure protection

HydroGraph Clean Power and Sparc Technologies have signed a letter of intent to test graphene-enhanced protective coatings for steel infrastructure, marking a fresh step toward commercialization in a market built around corrosion control. The agreement, announced on March 24, 2026, sets up joint testing of HydroGraph’s Fractal Graphene inside Sparc’s ecosparc additive platform for protective coatings.

HydroGraph and Sparc set a 12-month path to a supply deal

The LOI creates a framework for joint testing, product development and possible commercial supply of graphene for ecosparc additives. The companies said they intend to negotiate a definitive commercial agreement within about 12 months if performance results are successful, though no final deal is guaranteed.

HydroGraph said the collaboration combines its high-purity graphene with Sparc’s existing additive platform, which is designed for use in protective coating systems without major changes to established manufacturing workflows. That positioning matters because coatings makers typically look for materials that can be inserted into current product lines rather than re-engineered around a new chemistry.

Corrosion data from the first round points to the problem graphene is meant to solve

Initial Sparc laboratory testing used HydroGraph’s FGA-1 Fractal Graphene in commercial water-based coating systems and showed a 39% to 60% reduction in scribe corrosion creep under ASTM D1654-08, according to the companies. Sparc now plans ISO 12944 cyclic corrosion testing lasting 4,200 hours in solvent-based coatings to check whether the performance carries into more demanding, industry-standard conditions.

ISO 12944 is widely used to assess protective coating systems for steel structures in offshore, marine and industrial settings, making the next round of testing more relevant to the customers the partners are targeting. HydroGraph said its graphene is produced through an explosion synthesis process designed to deliver consistent batches and low energy use.

Protective coatings remain the most immediate commercial lane for graphene

The partners are aiming at a protective and marine coatings market they estimate at about US$33 billion. Sparc said it already has relationships with five of the eight largest protective coatings manufacturers globally, along with field trials and evaluation programs involving customers including BHP, Santos and the U.S. Government.

For graphene suppliers, that combination of established coatings channels and repeatable test data is the point of entry that matters most. Protective coatings are one of the clearest near-term uses for graphene because the value proposition is practical: longer asset life, fewer maintenance cycles and lower lifecycle emissions in infrastructure that is expensive to shut down or replace.