A major investment fund in the UAE has partnered with a UK-based company in a $1 billion deal aimed at scaling up graphene-based technologies to significantly reduce global CO2 emissions.
The UK-based Graphene Innovations Manchester Ltd (GIM) has signed an agreement with Quazar Investment Company to establish a new company in the UAE. The spin-out will focus on the development and production of high-quality, eco-friendly products utilizing advanced 2D materials.
The University of Manchester (UoM), where graphene was first isolated, is the birthplace of this one-atom-thick material. UoM professors Andre Geim and Kostya Novoselov won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2010 for their discovery of graphene. Today, the institution has several graphene facilities including National Graphene Institute (NGI), Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), and Henry Royce Institute.
The graphene solutions and 2D materials were also exhibited at the UAE Climate Tech forum in Abu Dhabi.
We had the honour to showcase our graphene pioneering solutions and 2D materials to Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, as he toured the exhibitions at the #UAEClimateTech Forum.
— The University of Manchester Graphene (@UoMGraphene) May 11, 2023
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What is Graphene?
This electrically conductive material is made up of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a perfect hexagonal lattice. Despite being the thinnest material known to exist, graphene is also the strongest material ever tested—100 times stronger than steel.
Graphene has been hailed a “wonder material” due to its potential in a growing pool of applications and industries, from quantum computing to healthcare. Copper is currently the backbone of the electrical grid, but the conductivity of graphene is a million times greater than that of copper.
This ultimate supermaterial is stronger than steel, more flexible than rubber, more electrically conductive than copper, and is ultralight weight.
UK-UAE partnership to commercialize graphene
With a total investment vision worth $1 billion, the UK-UAE partnership will be one of the most ambitious projects to date to commercialize graphene.
Dr. Vivek Koncherry, CEO of Graphene Innovations Manchester, based in GEIC, said: “We are proud to be associated with Quazar so that we can assemble a powerful world-class team to provide us the opportunity to massively deploy our graphene-based technologies.” Waleed Al Ali, CEO of Quazar said: “The new graphene company will take a global lead in making environmentally friendly concrete and other products.”
“The new graphene company will take a global lead in making environmentally friendly concrete and other products,” said Waleed Al Ali, chief executive of Quazar. He is confident that Quazar can play an active role in helping fulfill the UAE Vision 2030.
James Baker, CEO of Graphene@Manchester, said this agreement is a “seminal moment for the commercialization of graphene as it demonstrates huge confidence in the potential for this advanced material to help lead our transition into a net zero world.” He added that it is also a “very proud moment for the Graphene@Manchester community as it confirms that our innovation ecosystem is providing exactly the right platform to nurture pioneering R&D into graphene and other 2D materials that is world-class.”
Under this collaboration, the new company in UAE will invest over $1 billion to develop and mass manufacture a range of graphene-based products, including:
- GIM Concrete – This construction material reduces dioxide (CO2) by eliminating the use of cement. Additionally, it requires no water, cures quickly, and can be made using recycled materials.
- GIM Hydrogen (Type IV & V) – These graphene-enhanced storage tanks and pipes are made using proprietary AI-based robots with improved Hydrogen barrier properties and leak prevention.
- GIM Smart Clothing – This product includes protective clothing PPE technologies that actively cool workwear and enhance comfort for people working in extremely hot environments.
