EMEA News
UK Firm Eyes Bunker Saving Hi-Tech Hull Coating Material
UK firm Applied Graphene Materials (AGM) is looking at hull coatings as a possible market for its super-thin, super-strong material, the Telegraph reports.
"Think anti-corrosion agent on a ship's hull," said Chief Executive Jon Mabbitt.
"Just a small amount of this super additive prevents barnacles and sea life building up on the ship, which leads to less maintenance, greater fuel efficiency, and higher speeds."
The use of graphene, a single-atom-thick layer of carbon that is stronger than a diamond, nearly transparent, and an excellent conductor of heat and electricity, is in its infancy, but companies see huge potential in its use in a wide variety of applications.
"This is akin to the invention of silicon, or the first plastics, that sort of disruptive technology," Mabbitt said.
"But we have to build confidence that graphene will really do what we say it'll do, while building traction in new markets and refining the process at scale.
"It's like trying to walk, talk and chew gum at the same time."
Mabbitt said part of the challenge is the time required to test products using the material.
"Big paint companies, for example, will have to take the new products into the deserts in Arizona and leave it exposed to sun, but that takes time," he said.
AGM, a spin-off from Durham University, uses a patented method to synthesise graphene, rather than creating it from mined graphite as most competitors do.
Companies, including International Paint, have been reporting rising sales of hull coatings as ship owners seek low-cost ways to reduce fuel use.
