E!9114 New nano-carbon material for efficient oil-spill control in vulnerable ocean environments

New solutions for controlling oil spills are needed to protect vulnerable ocean environments. R&D in the G*sorb project centers on combining application know-how on the industrial mineral graphite with the growing scienctific understanding of graphene, the mono-layer form of graphite, for which the EU in 2014 launched a 1bn Euro R&D challenge. Parallel engineering development of improved oil-spill control equipment is necessary to ensure rapid deployment and efficient use of the new materials. The G*sorb project comprises science-based, practically oriented R&D on: (1.) characterising the oil-sorption properties of new nanocarbon materials derived from natural graphite, functionalised to achieve efficient, selective adsorption of oil in the marine environment; (2.) optimising the functional applicability of the new materials towards a wide range of spillable hydrocarbons including crudes as well as bunker products and other liquids transported at sea by tankers; (3.) formulating and adapting the optimised materials for use with current and next-generation oil spill control equipment such as booms, skimmers, blankets etc. and associated vessels. Furthermore the G*sorb project will push the new products towards the market by (4.) assessing their performance in various forms by representative trials relative to existing state-of-art methods; and (5.) quantifying the economic & environmental potential of deploying the new solutions in various oil-spill control situations. The key to successful innovation here lies in molecular control of the properties of the new material, and recent advances in carbon chemistry and nanotechnology are enabling factors. Lead SME Norwegian Graphite is a fast-growing young enterprise combining own high-quality natural flake material sources with expanding nanocarbon development research. It has teamed up with Finland-based Lamor, global market leader in the oil-spill response industry and specialised in innovative equipment solutions.

The G*sorb project is a concerted effort to develop, formulate and qualify a new class of environmental protection products and solutions based on the unique properties of nano-carbon materials derived from natural flake graphite. The project aims to deliver a whole new class of sorbent products, innovative oil-spill control equipment adapted to it, and improved procedures to enable a radically better oil-spill response. The new materials, being developed by the Lead SME Norwegian Graphite, will be combined with innovative oil-spill control equipment based on the state-of-the-art hardware manufactured and deployed globally by market leader LAMOR Corporation of Finland. The combination of the unique properties of the new materials with the improved equipment and procedures will enable more efficient adsorption and removal of oil spills and should be applicable to vulnerable ocean environments including Arctic / cold water zones as well as Mediterranean / warmer water areas across the globe. The G*sorb project was selected for funding by the Eurostars programme, known as the "Champions' League" for innovative R&D performing smaller companies in Europe. It will run from 2014 to 2017.