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BeDimensional inaugurates its new two-dimensional crystal production plant (BEFAB – BeDimensional Fabrication plant) in Genoa, Italy. The plant produces in particular graphene with a few atomic layers and hexagonal boron nitride with a few atomic layers.
BeDimensional’s will be the world’s first atomic-controlled two-dimensional crystal production plant on an industrial scale, giving Italy and Europe a lead in an industry that promises to grow exponentially in the coming years and greater independence from critical materials.
Established as a spin-off in 2016 from the Graphene Labs of the Italian Institute of Technology – IIT, BeDimensional aims to produce two-dimensional crystals at industrial levels and at competitive costs, revolutionising the manufacturing sector through more efficient, sustainable and high-performance materials.
The inauguration of the Genoa plant set the stage for the announcement of theinvestment of more than EUR 40 million by BeDimensional to support further industrial expansion, with the opening of a new factory in Italy. As part of this investment, BeDimensional signed an agreement with the EIB for a EUR 20 million loan in the form of venture debt. Further investments of over EUR 5 million will be provided by existing and new investors.
Vittorio Pellegrini, group CEO of BeDimensional, said in a note: “We are at the dawn of a new era in green technology opportunities, which will leverage increased production capacity for high-quality sustainable two-dimensional crystals, graphene and beyond. We are thrilled and grateful that the EIB has decided to join our investors in supporting the Group’s industrial expansion. Together with all the people working at BeDimensional, we are committed to becoming a champion in an emerging market with huge prospects, securing a leading position in Europe and worldwide in the production and supply of these advanced materials”.
“Witnessing the growth and successes of a vision that started way back in 2016 within our laboratories at the Italian Institute of Technology, when the startup BeDimensional was launched, founded on solid evaluations made by our technolgy transfer and proved to be pioneering over the years,” says Giorgio Metta, scientific director of the Italian Institute of Technology – It makes us proud and encourages us to continue to pursue with the same enthusiasm, even within the framework of the new 2024-2029 strategic plan, the dual mission that distinguishes IIT in the Italian research scene: supporting curiosity-driven basic research and, at the same time, technology transfer to the market of the output most promising to contribute to the country’s economic growth’.
“This project is a perfect example of how the EIB can help European innovators develop new technologies that are key to the EU’s industrial base and green transition,” says EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti. We are contributing to Europe’s technological leadership, reducing our dependence on external suppliers and creating highly skilled jobs”.
Thanks to the new production line in Genoa and the new production facility, BeDimensional aims to rapidly scale up production from 3 to over 30 tonnes by 2028 and, within a few years, to 70 tonnes.
The industrial plan provides for the recruitment of specialised and qualified personnel: already by this year, 3 to 5 people will be added in the Genoa plant, which will bring the total number of employees to 50 and a further 10 people in the new plant.
The graphene market
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal network, isolated as a material in 2004. Graphene has become the symbol of a broader category of two-dimensional (2D) crystals, the new frontier of materials science.
Due to their extraordinary properties, additives based on two-dimensional crystals are already being applied in various fields: in silicon anodes as negative electrodes in lithium-ion batteries, in high-performance polymer composites, in electrically insulating corrosion-resistant coatings, in waterproof and breathable fabrics, in electrically conductive adhesives and in lubricant additives.
The market for graphene with a few atomic layers and other two-dimensional crystals is currently characterised by a high degree of innovation and research and development. The market is still nascent, currently limited by factors such as cost and scale of production, lack of material consistency and standards, and limited industry awareness and adoption.
Over the next decade, these factors are expected to be overcome and adoption will accelerate as a result of investments to enhance industrial capacity, high-quality production and broaden applications: following this trajectory, the market is estimated to reach a valuation of EUR 1.8 billion by 2033.
BeDimensional products and applications
G-Leaf is an ISO-compliant graphene powder with a thickness of less than 10 atomic layers, making it one of the purest and best-performing materials on the market. G-Leaf is dark grey in colour, mechanically resistant and is also an excellent electrical and thermal conductor . G-Leaf è stato integrato in un composito di silicio-grafene per batterie agli ioni di litio sviluppato in collaborazione con un importante produttore di batterie, aumentando la capacità di stoccaggio delle batterie del 30%. G-Leaf viene utilizzato per sviluppare una nuova classe di lubrificanti privi di additivi a base di metallo, che riducono il coefficiente di attrito del 30%. La tecnologia G-Leaf è utilizzata anche per rinforzare strutturalmente materiali plastici e per creare vernici attive termicamente per aziende del settore edilizio che migliorano la gestione termica, nonché vernici che proteggono dalle radiazioni UV e mitigano effetti di invecchiamento.
B-Leaf is a powder of two-dimensional boron nitride crystals. The material has a thickness of less than 10 atomic layers, is white, mechanically and chemically resistant, anti-corrosive and an outstanding electrical insulator and thermal conductor . Le proprietà del B-Leaf lo rendono particolarmente adatto ad applicazioni che uniscono tecnologia indossabile, lusso e performance. Grazie a recenti collaborazioni con specialisti del settore tessile e della pelle, BeDimensional sta ridefinendo gli standard della moda e dell’abbigliamento Made in Italy, spingendo così i confini del settore del lusso italiano.
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