BETTER NEWS FOR VERSARIEN ON CEMENT INNOVATION AS IT PLANS NEW FUTURE

The Forest of Dean advanced materials innovator and manufacturer Versarien, which lost its founder Neill Ricketts after he resigned as Chief Executive Officer in March, has revealed better news.

Trials of a precast concrete containing its Cementene water-based graphene mixture were shown to maintain its strength with 20 per cent of the cement removed.

The product means a significant reduction in the CO2 emissions of cement production – up to 4.4 million kg of CO2 savings per year, said the company.

The initial results of tests conducted at Banagher Precast Concrete “demonstrate the significant potential to reduce CO2 emissions without impacting the performance of the concrete”, said the firm.

Stephen Hodge, Chief Technology Officer at Versarien, said: “The use of Cementene has been demonstrated to offer a substantial environmental benefit at a cost we believe is competitive.”

Peter Deegan, Banagher Precast Concrete's Technical Director, said: "We have been trialling many alternative additions to our concrete mixes in the drive to net zero 2050, graphene in a liquid state is one such product. While still at an early stage, we are finding very positive results and aim to continue with the research right through to scaling up at our production plant. We are confident that graphene will play a major role in carbon reduction in the future."

In May, Versarien raised more than

Versarien said its primary focus for early commercialisation is on the construction and textiles sectors. The launch of Umbro's ProTraining Elite range, including garments incorporating the company's graphenewear technology, has been a particular highlight. Versarien is currently in talks with Umbro, BiaBrazil and Go To Gym.

£500,000 to drive commercialisation of its graphene innovations in both the construction and leisure sectors and the company has engaged business turnaround specialists Prompt Business Strategies to help develop a new strategic plan.

The aim is to preserve appropriate intellectual property within the company, while significantly reducing operational costs. The new strategic roadmap and financial plan will be announced in the coming weeks.

Graphene is the thinnest material known to man at one atom thick. It’s also about 200 times stronger than steel, an excellent conductor of heat and electricity and has interesting light absorption abilities.

Adding trace amounts of graphene into other materials can instantly increase its mechanical strength. It’s also a highly durable material that barely has any weight. This property of graphene makes it ideal for sportswear. Graphene-infused clothing is strong, durable, scratch or tear-resistant, and elastic.