Versarien PLC Completion of NGI composite project
October 13 2016 - 1:00AM
RNS Non-Regulatory
TIDMVRS
Versarien PLC
13 October 2016
13 October 2016
Versarien plc
Completion of NGI composite project
Versarien plc (AIM:VRS) ("Versarien" or the "Company"), the
advanced materials group, is pleased to announce the successful
completion of a grant funded project focused on graphene enhanced
carbon fibre composites with the National Graphene Institute
("NGI") at The University of Manchester.
Versarien has been collaborating with the NGI since November
2014. Extensive trials of the graphene produced by Versarien's
subsidiary, 2-DTech, by an NGI team led by Professor Robert Young,
Professor of Polymer Science and Technology at The University of
Manchester, in carbon fibre composite products, has demonstrated
the benefit of adding graphene, particularly with regard to
significantly enhancing the strength of the structure.
Following the positive test results from the project the NGI
have indicated that they wish to purchase a significant quantity of
graphene from Versarien for a specific project with a major
OEM.
Professor Robert Young FREng, FRS, Professor of Polymer Science
and Technology at The University of Manchester, commented: "The
successful project demonstrated that the addition of 2-DTech XT
graphene to the epoxy resin matrix was able to give a significant
improvement in the performance of carbon-fibre reinforced epoxy
composites. This technology is now being evaluated by a major UK
company for use in a number of different structural components,
with a view to commercial products being produced within the next
six months."
James Baker, Graphene Business Director at the National Graphene
Institute (NGI) at The University of Manchester, commented: "This
successful collaboration between industry and academia that has
taken place in the National Graphene Institute is now seeing the
accelerated development of future products and applications which
are now starting to reach the marketplace. I expect to see an
increase in business opportunities where the addition of graphene
provides a significant enhancement to the performance or
improvement of a product or application".
Neill Ricketts, CEO of Versarien, commented: "Since our
acquisition of 2-DTech in May 2014 we have worked very closely with
the National Graphene Institute at The University of Manchester to
reach the goal of commercialising graphene. In June 2015 we
announced the patent protection for our graphene platelet
production process and now just over a year later we have reached
the stage where extensive testing has proved the benefit of adding
graphene to carbon fibre composite structures to the extent that
there is now real demand from commercial customers. Our supply of
graphene to the NGI, coupled with our own dedicated graphene
enhanced plastics manufacturing facility, established through our
recent acquisition of AAC Cyroma, is just the start of the
commercialisation phase. We intend to significantly scale up our
capacity to produce graphene to meet the demand we are seeing,
which is only expected to increase."
For further information please contact:
Versarien plc www.versarien.com
Neill Ricketts - Chief Executive +44 (0) 1594 888
Officer 622
Chris Leigh - Chief Financial
Officer
WH Ireland (Nominated Adviser) www.wh-ireland.co.uk
+44 (0) 117 945
John Wakefield / Ed Allsopp 3470
IFC Advisory (Financial PR and www.investor-focus.co.uk
IR)
Tim Metcalfe / Graham Herring
/ Heather Armstrong / Miles +44 (0) 20 3053
Nolan 8671
Notes to Editors:
About Versarien
Versarien plc (AIM:VRS), is an advanced materials group.
Leveraging proprietary technology, the Group creates innovative
engineering solutions for its clients in a diverse range of
industries. Versarien has three subsidiaries:
Versarien Technologies Ltd owns the exclusive rights to a
patent-protected additive process for creating advanced
micro-porous metals targeting the thermal management industry and
manufactures extruded aluminium heat sinks for the electronics and
computing industries. www.versarien-technologies.co.uk
Versarien Advanced Composites Limited has been established in
order to progress the commercial application of graphene-enhanced
composite products.
Total Carbide Ltd, a leading manufacturer in sintered tungsten
carbide for applications in arduous environments such as the oil
and gas industry. www.totalcarbide.com
2-DTech Ltd., which specialises in the supply, characterisation
and early stage development of graphene
products. www.2-dtech.com
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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October 13, 2016 02:00 ET (06:00 GMT)