XIAMEN KNANO GRAPHENE TECHNOLOGY CO LTD

Introduction

Xiamen Knano Graphene Technology Co., Ltd. (厦门凯纳石墨烯技术股份有限公司), also known as Knano, is a Chinese advanced materials company based in Xiamen, Fujian. It focuses on the research, production, sales, and application development of graphene, carbon nanotubes, and related solid-state electrolyte and functional material systems, with a strong emphasis on industrial-scale commercialization for plastics, energy storage, and coatings applications. The company describes itself as the first graphene company in mainland China and the first in China mainland involved in mass production and application development of graphene, positioning it as an early mover in the domestic graphene industry.

Founded in 2010 by Zhao Liping and Professor Chen Guohua of Huaqiao University, Knano has developed from a start-up into a specialized materials supplier with a product portfolio that includes graphene powder, graphene nanoplatelets, graphene slurries/pastes, and carbon nanotube-based solutions. Public company records show that it was later reorganized into a joint-stock company and has traded under the NEEQ identifier 836410, reflecting its move toward a more formalized capital-market structure.

Knano’s industrial significance lies less in commodity-scale petrochemicals and more in the materials modification layer of the plastics value chain, where graphene and carbon nanotubes are used to improve electrical conductivity, mechanical reinforcement, thermal management, and barrier performance in polymer compounds and coatings. The company’s published materials also indicate that it serves customers in energy storage, composites, functional coatings, and plastic modification, making it a representative example of China’s effort to commercialize nanomaterials into downstream industrial products.

History and Development

Knano’s development can be traced through several concrete milestones:

• 2006–2010: Founding period The company’s origins are linked to collaboration between entrepreneur Zhao Liping and Professor Chen Guohua, with the business formally registered in May 2010.
• 2013: Industrialization and external investment Industry reporting noted a CNY 14 million investment and partnership announced by Zhongtai Chemical in 2013, suggesting early recognition of Knano’s graphene commercialization potential.
• 2015: Corporate reorganization Company records indicate that the business was converted into a joint-stock company in October 2015, a common step for Chinese companies preparing for broader capital-market engagement.
• 2020s: Expansion of application focus Knano’s product and leadership pages increasingly emphasized not only graphene materials, but also application development in plastic modification, energy storage, and functional coatings, indicating a shift from material supply alone toward solution-oriented commercialization.

Public reporting in China also portrays Knano as a long-standing participant in the local graphene ecosystem in Xiamen and Fujian, with continued involvement in innovation competitions and industrial cooperation projects.

Business Operations and Segments

Knano operates as a specialty advanced materials company rather than a large diversified chemical producer. Its business is centered on three closely related activities:

• Material R&D The company develops graphene-based and carbon nanomaterial formulations, including materials tailored for specific dispersion and performance requirements.
• Production and processing Knano states that it has production capacity of at least 500 tons per year of graphene powder, including classical and purified graphene powder.
• Application development and sales The firm markets materials and solutions for functional coatings, energy storage, and plastic modification industries, with a B2B business model oriented toward industrial customers.

From an industry-structure perspective, Knano sits downstream of basic carbon and precursor chemistry and upstream of end-use manufacturing. Its value proposition is to convert nanomaterials into forms that can be incorporated into polymer compounds, coating systems, battery electrodes, and other engineered materials.

Products and Technologies

Knano’s product range is centered on graphene and related nanomaterials. Public sources indicate the following categories:

In plastics, graphene and carbon nanotubes are typically used as functional additives rather than base polymers. Their technical role is usually to improve one or more of the following:

• Electrical conductivity for antistatic or conductive plastics
• Mechanical reinforcement in engineering compounds
• Thermal conductivity in heat-dissipating components
• Barrier properties in packaging and protective materials
• Wear and corrosion resistance in coatings and polymer surfaces

Knano’s own positioning suggests that it is not merely selling raw nanomaterials, but providing dispersion-oriented application solutions, which is critical because the performance of graphene in plastics depends heavily on exfoliation quality, particle morphology, dispersion stability, and interfacial compatibility with polymers.

The company also states that it holds certifications including IATF 16949, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001, which is relevant for industrial customers that require quality, environmental, and occupational safety management systems.

Applications and End Markets

Knano’s disclosed end markets include:

• Plastic modification
• Energy storage
• Functional coatings
• Composites
• Related industrial applications

For the plastics industry specifically, the company’s materials are relevant to:

• Conductive and antistatic plastics
• Engineering plastics
• Battery-related polymer components
• Functional masterbatches and compound formulations
• Specialty coatings on polymer substrates

These application areas align with broader industry trends in which nanocarbon additives are used to upgrade polymer performance without the weight penalties associated with conventional fillers. Market research listings also identify Knano as a supplier of graphene powder, lithium battery graphene products, and graphene slurry for coatings, underscoring its industrial orientation toward performance materials rather than consumer-facing products.

Global Presence and Market Position

Knano is headquartered and produces in Xiamen, Fujian, with its official English-language site listing headquarters and production at Building 16, No. 2881 Dongfu Blvd., Haicang District, Xiamen. Its website and business profiles indicate that it sells materials to customers outside China as well as within China, although public sources do not provide a detailed revenue breakdown by geography.

Within the graphene sector, Knano is frequently described by third-party profiles as an early Chinese graphene company with a B2B focus on industrial materials and formulations. External market directories also list it among companies active in the Asia-Pacific graphene market. While public sources do not support a precise market-share estimate, the company’s long operating history, production capacity claim, and application emphasis suggest that it occupies a meaningful niche in China’s specialized nanocarbon supply chain.

Sustainability and Environmental Initiatives

Knano states that it is certified to ISO 14001 for environmental management and ISO 45001 for occupational health and safety, indicating formalized management systems relevant to chemical and materials production. It also promotes graphene as a materials innovation that can support lighter-weight, higher-performance products, which can indirectly contribute to resource efficiency in downstream manufacturing.

At the same time, graphene and nanocarbon production presents industrial challenges associated with energy use, dispersion control, and occupational exposure management. Knano’s public materials do not provide enough detail to assess lifecycle performance, emissions intensity, or product-level environmental benefits, so any broader sustainability claims should be treated cautiously.

Financial Performance and Economic Impact

Publicly available sources provide limited recent financial detail. Available company and market records confirm that Knano has a registered capital of RMB 46.1 million and has maintained a relatively specialized workforce profile, with one public profile listing 66 employees.

Its economic impact is best understood through its role in:

• Building an early domestic graphene industrial base in China
• Contributing to the commercialization of nanocarbon additives
• Supporting downstream manufacturers in coatings, composites, and battery materials
• Participating in regional innovation and industrial development in Fujian and Xiamen

Leadership and Corporate Governance

Publicly available records identify Zhao Liping as a founder and legal representative, with Zhao Xiaowen also listed as a controlling shareholder in some business databases. Company and market records name Lin Yun as board secretary and Fang Chongqing as general manager in certain disclosures.

The company’s governance profile reflects a typical Chinese technology-manufacturing structure: founder-led ownership, a joint-stock corporate form, and a focus on operational rather than publicly traded scale. It was reported as a New Third Board-listed company under 836410, indicating prior engagement with China’s over-the-counter equity market.

Innovations and Future Outlook

Knano’s future appears tied to several broader industry themes:

• Scale-up of graphene and nanocarbon additives for industrial polymers
• Improved dispersion technology for conductive and reinforcing masterbatches
• Battery-material integration, especially where graphene supports conductivity or electrode performance
• Functional coatings and composites that demand higher-performance fillers
• Cost reduction through manufacturing scale, which is essential for wider graphene adoption

Chinese media coverage has portrayed the company as part of an effort to reduce graphene costs through industrialization and process improvement, with reporting describing a transition from laboratory-scale novelty toward more commercially practical pricing and output. At the same time, the global graphene market remains fragmented, and Knano will likely continue to compete on formulation quality, application engineering, and supply reliability rather than on commodity pricing alone.

Summary

Knano is an early Chinese graphene company focused on turning graphene and carbon nanomaterials into practical industrial products, especially for plastic modification, coatings, and energy storage. Its significance in the plastics ecosystem lies in its role as a specialty additive and solutions provider, supplying materials designed to enhance conductivity, reinforcement, and other performance characteristics in advanced polymer systems.

References

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  CPS+ eMarketplace. (n.d.). XIAMEN KNANO GRAPHENE TECHNOLOGY CO LTDXIAMEN KNANO GRAPHENE TECHNOLOGY CO LTD. CPS+ eMarketplace. https://www.chinaplasonline.com/eMarketplace/ExhibitorInfo?CompId=1012516Link