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:
Directa Plus launches graphene-enhanced masks
Directa Plus has announced that its G+ graphene-enhanced facemasks, Co-mask, are now available for retail sale at a new, dedicated website.
“Since the dangers of COVID-19 first started to become apparent, Directa Plus has been determined to help with the fight against the disease, and to use the unique properties of graphene and the strength of Directa Plus’s IP portfolio to enhance personal protective equipment. The company redirected effort and resources in its Advanced Development Area, R&D facility, to achieve this,” Directa Plus said in a statement.
Graphene-enhanced asphalt to be tested in Dartford, UK
Highways contractor Amey and its client Kent County Council will be testing Gipave, an Italian graphene-based asphalt supermodifier said to extend pavement life.
The trial is taking place as part of the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning & Transport (ADEPT) Smart Places Live Labs programme funded by the Department for Transport of the UK.
Directa Plus to supply Iterchimica with graphene materials for asphalt applications
Directa Plus has reported that a deal to supply a special grade of its G+ graphene product, known as ITC1, to its partner, Iterchimica. The G+ product is the differentiating component of Gipave, an asphalt super-modifier developed by Directa Plus and Iterchimica and follows successful trials in Italy and the UK.
The agreement signed by the companies provides for the exclusive supply of the G+ graphene product to Iterchimica in the asphalt and bitumen sector worldwide and is for an initial duration of three years.
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.