Finnish company Betolar and Hycamite TCD Technologies have reached a commercial agreement to evaluate the potential of carbon nanofibers in enhancing concrete's strength and reducing its carbon footprint.
The research project aims to explore the application of Hycamite's low-carbon carbon nanofibers as an additive in concrete products and for mining uses.
The partnership will involve testing and refining of the carbon product’s quality and usability.
The goal is to customise Hycamite's carbon product for Betolar's use, potentially leading to its commercialisation within the latter’s offerings for the metal and mining industries, as well as the construction sector.
Hycamite co-founder and Carbon Products vice-president Niina Grönqvist said: “Both companies share the same values aiming to reduce the carbon footprint in the future on global markets. The carbon product we are developing for Betolar produces no direct emissions, and the process's energy consumption is low.
“Through our collaboration, we can demonstrate that our carbon products can help reduce the carbon footprint of construction while improving quality.”
Hycamite's approach to decarbonising the industry involves the production of low-carbon hydrogen and sustainable carbon products suitable for demanding industrial applications.
Its TCD technology decomposes methane without releasing direct greenhouse gas emissions.
When Hycamite's carbon products are produced using biomethane, the carbon that originates from the atmosphere can be permanently isolated in concrete through Betolar’s solutions.
This process not only uses carbon efficiently but also creates a carbon sink, leading to the reduction of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.
Betolar CEO Tuija Kalpala said: “These completely new high-quality industrial materials enable the production of even higher-quality low-carbon concrete.
"We believe that in the future we will be able to utilise Hycamite's carbon product in applications such as shotcrete for mines, hollow-core slab production, and other concrete products.”
Last year, Betolar partnered with Consolis Parma to test low-carbon hollow-core slabs. The project has entered the manufacturing phase, following validation of the potential to produce the slabs with substantially reduced cement quantities.
