OCSiAl is granted approval for new graphene nanotube production, R&D facility
Based in Luxembourg, the synthesis facility is expected to drastically increase OCSiAl’s current graphene nanotube production capacity for the European composites market.
New synthesis facility, set to begin production in 2025. Photo Credit, all images: OCSiAl
Graphene nanotube manufacturer OCSiAl (Luxembourg) has been granted approval by the Luxembourg authorities for a production plant, together with an associated research and development (R&D) center, in Differdange, Luxembourg, scheduled to begin production in 2025. The facility will further cement OCSiAl’s strategic advantage as a graphene nanotube material supplier and enhance the geographic accessibility of graphene nanotubes to the composites market, which is reported to be growing at CAGR of more than 4%.
A graphene nanotube is a form of carbon with the thickness of one atom that can be imagined as a graphene sheet rolled into a tube. An excellent conductor of electricity, the material is also said to be 100 times stronger than steel, but lighter than aluminum. Graphene nanotubes are typically added to materials, such as composites, to enhance targeted properties.
“Our state-of-the-art graphene nanotube facility in Luxembourg will be positioned between Belgium, France, and Germany and will allow us to reduce logistics costs and work closely with leading automakers, the largest chemical producers and polymer manufacturers across Europe,” says Konstantin Notman, chief executive officer (CEO) of OCSiAl Group.
Nanotubes test control.
The new facility will be an addition to OCSiAl’s headquarters and three other graphene nanotube development centers in Luxembourg where it works with 1,500 companies in more than 50 countries. The company is investing $300 million in the facility’s development, which was designed to minimize the usage of energy and resources as well as to protect the population and the biodiversity in the surrounding environment from any negative impact. Moreover, it will enable OCSiAl to further improve its technical support for customers, accelerate joint projects and increase its headcount by 300 across research and production.
