OCSiAl is launching a graphene nanotube synthesis facility near Belgrade in Serbia in the first half of 2023.

 It will be the core of a graphene nanotube industrial hub to include production lines for more than 40 nanotube concentrates for various polymers and dispersions to boost the energy density of electric vehicle batteries.

The new hub will further strengthen OCSiAl’s supply chain resilience and enhance the company’s leading position in the global graphene nanotube market.

The Serbian hub will leverage OCSiAl’s unique production technology which is protected by more than 80 patents and patent applications, as well as trade secrets. It will have a capacity of 40,000-tons and contribute to lowering supply chain costs, making it possible to deliver European-produced nanotubes and industrial solutions to customers in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Nanotube-based solutions provide a unique combination of previously unachievable properties to most types of elastomers, thermoplastics, thermosets and lithium-ion batteries, and have gained rapid adoption in aerospace, automotive, construction, electronics, packaging and consumer goods. Electric vehicle batteries are driving nanotube technology development, as graphene nanotubes ultimately enable automotive industry transformation from internal combustion engines to batteries, by facilitating faster charge, longer range and lower cost electric cars.

The exceptional properties of graphene nanotubes make them a universal additive with potential applications across up to 50% of the global materials markets. OCSiAl partners with more than 1,500 companies around the world.

To meet  constantly growing demand, the Serbian facility will be complemented by an even larger nanotube manufacturing facility in Differdange, Luxembourg, in 2025. New capacities and a diversified supply chain will cement OCSiAl’s leading global position as the supplier of 97% of all graphene nanotubes available on the market, the company says.

www.ocsial.com