Global and Brazilian giants CSN and CBMM waste no time, targeting the technological revolution and investing in graphene — the powerful material 200 times stronger than steel
With an eye on the global technological revolution that is about to happen, if it is not already happening, two global and Brazilian giants, CSN and CBMM, invest in a Singaporean start-up focused on the development of graphene — the powerful flexible material 200 times stronger than steel, thinner than a hair and abundant in Brazil. This revolutionary material will become the next global technological revolution, with Brazil at the forefront!
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Inova Ventures, the vehicle for venture capital of CSN, has just purchased an unspecified minority stake in 2DM, a Singaporean startup focused on developing graphene. Brazilian steel giant CSN declined to disclose the value of the investment, but said it is being done in partnership with Japan's Sojitz Corporation. CBMM, the largest global producer of niobium, already made a contribution to the startup in 2019.
Brazil has the 3rd largest proven graphite reserve in the world
Graphene is produced from graphite, an abundant mineral in Brazil. The country has the 3rd largest proven reserve of graphite in the world, but “the big leap forward is the technology to get there”, José Noldin, head of research and development at CSN, told the Brazil Journal.
2DM has developed a process to arrive at graphene that combines low investment, low cost and a simple technology, capable of arriving at a product of unique quality.
In addition, the process developed by the startup is environmentally sustainable – basically made with water – reducing the use of chemicals and waste generation, Noldin said.
Graphene, the revolutionary material, will become the next global technological revolution, with Brazil at the forefront
Touted as one of the materials of the future, graphene has unique properties such as high resistance and high thermal and electrical conductivity. It can be used, for example, to produce lighter and more efficient batteries or more corrosion-resistant materials.
2DM was founded in 2015 at the National University of Singapore by Brazilians Antonio Helio Castro Neto and Ricardo Oliveira and has on its board Konstantin Novoselov, who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010 for the discovery of graphene.
The objective of the 2DM is to apply the material as an additive to improve various properties of materials for markets such as automotive, electric vehicles, aeronautics, marine, energy storage, defense, electronics, among others.
“The fact that they are located in Singapore provides easy access to a market with great potential for expansion, such as use in electronic applications and electric cars in countries like China and Southeast Asia”, says Gabriela Toribio, manager of Inova Ventures.
At the same time, CSN started a working group dedicated to graphene at its research center in Volta Redonda.
