Directa Plus was established in 2005 in Italy to develop innovative nanomaterial production processes. The company developed its own exfoliation process (which they call G+) that can be used to produce super-expanded graphite, pristine GNPs, water-dispersed GNPs and fine nanographite powder (all of them marketed under the G+ brand).
In 2014, the company inaugurated its 30-ton graphene plant in Lomazzo, Como. In April 2015 Directa Plus received a grant of €5.5 million. The company is involved with several projects and is providing its materials for textile makers, 3D printing, bicycle wheels and environmental applications.
Directa Plus is a public company that trades in the UK AIM (DCTA:L).
The latest Directa Plus graphene news:
How can graphene assist in the war on Coronavirus?
As researchers and companies all over the world set out to battle the Coronavirus pandemic, many are revisiting graphene as a material with potential for helping to win this fight. The reasons for such potential could be found in graphene's known antibacterial/antiviral properties, its beneficial traits for medical sensors and devices and more.
Graphene has been shown in the past as extremely useful for creating various sensors. Earlier this month, a team led by Boston College researchers used a sheet of graphene to track the electronic signals inherent in biological structures, in order to develop a platform to selectively identify deadly strains of bacteria. In October 2019, Rice University team under chemist James Tour transformed their laser-induced graphene (LIG) into self-sterilizing filters that grab pathogens out of the air and kill them with small pulses of electricity. Commercially sold graphene-based sensors exist, like the graphene oxide (GO) sensor developed by the ICN2 Nanobioelectronics and Biosensors group that was added in 2016 to the list products offered by Biolin Scientific, a prestigious instrumentation company devoted to the production of analytical devices. The Q-Sense GO sensor enables interaction studies of GO with various analytes (measured substances) of interest and may open the door to various applications with interest for diagnostics, safety/security and environmental monitoring.
Directa Plus' graphene could be used in the production of medical devices like masks, gloves and gowns to fight Coronavirus pandemic
Advanced materials company Directa Plus said its graphene material could be used in medical devices to help authorities combat the Covid-19 pandemic.
The company, whose Italian operations were unaffected by government moves to close down activity not associated with essential goods and services, said its graphene was non-toxic and its bacteriostatic properties could be used in the production of medical devices, such as masks, gloves and gowns to ensure better prevention properties for the spread of the virus.
Directa Plus wins second contract for graphene-based oil clean-up product
Directa Plus has reportedly won a second contract for its graphene-enhanced oil contaminant treatment Grafysorber through subsidiary Setcar. The contract is with GSP Offshore, part of the Romanian oil services group GSP, and worth €5 million over a seven-year period.
GSP already has an eight-year agreement with Romanian oil and gas group OMV Petrom, another partner of Directa Plus. Setcar will treat oil-contaminated water and soil, residual drilling fluids treatment and clean oil storage tanks.
Directa Plus receives grant to develop G+ graphene printing technology
Directa Plus has announced that it has received a grant for a project to develop an environmentally sustainable technology to digitally print its G+ graphene product on fabrics.
The GREEN.TEX project partners are Directa Plus, EFI Reggiani, the Italian subsidiary of global digital printing group Electronics For Imaging, Inc. (EFI), and IBS Consulting Group. The project will last for an initial period of 24 months and has a total value of around €1 million, of which Directa Plus will invest €240,000 and receive a grant of €100,000.
Directa Plus teams up with Comerio Ercole to explore graphene-based products
Directa Plus has signed an agreement with Comerio Ercole to pursue joint research and development projects using the company's G+ graphene technology.
Comerio is an Italian engineering and manufacturing company founded in 1885, that specializes in rubber and composite material processing.
