Tarmac has laid what is said to be the first public road to use a graphene-based additive, working with an international materials supplier and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council.
Graphene is an advanced carbon-based nanomaterial with a wide range of applications that can add strength and flexibility to asphalt, potentially prolonging its life and reducing whole-life carbon emissions.
Universal Matter GBR Ltd, the Redcar-based UK arm of a company with headquarters in Canada, said adding its Genable Pavement to the asphalt enables a longer lifespan of the road, reducing rutting, cracking and increasing resistance to potholes.
Universal Matter said it has developed cleaner, faster, and more economical technology to produce graphene through its proprietary Flash Joule Heating process.
The graphene additive was added to over 150 tonnes of asphalt at Tarmac’s Coxhoe asphalt plant in County Durham, which was then transported to Flatts Lane Country Park on the edge of Middlesbrough, where a construction team put down a new entrance road.
The enhanced asphalt material had previously been tested on car parks in the United States and Canada and at the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) test track, but Universal Matter said this was the first demonstration on a public road anywhere in the world.
Commercial director Andy Gent said: ‘It’s an exciting day for the business globally because it represents a real step forward for the product.
‘It’s great to see it taken from the lab stage to full road application. This product has great potential, and we are delighted that Tarmac agreed to participate.’
Tarmac technical director Brian Kent said: ‘As part of our drive to explore, and develop new solutions to our customers, particularly focusing on durability and sustainability, we were happy to participate in this project which provides the opportunity to assess performance and potential further use.’
Carl Quartermain, the highway authority’s cabinet member for highways and transport, said: ‘We take pride in being at the forefront of sustainable, cutting-edge technology that not only improves our roads but also benefits motorists and the environment.’
Universal Matter was established in 2019 and acquired Durham University spin-out Applied Graphene Materials two years ago.
