Galvorn Redefines Strength and Lightness
Galvorn Mesh / Source: DEXMAT
Stronger than Steel, Lighter than Aluminum.
Galvorn, developed by carbon nanotube startup DEXMAT, is a revolutionary material. It’s the result of a more than $20 million investment from DEXMAT, two U.S. Air Force research agencies, the Department of Energy, NASA, the National Science Foundation and Advanced Functional Fabrics of America. It is stronger than steel, lighter than aluminum, and has the conductivity of copper.
It can be an alternative to rare and expensive copper — a crucial metal in electronics. In fact, experts at Houston-based DEXMAT suggest their product can revolutionize the green tech landscape, and this has materials scientists excited. What’s more, as this material is rolled out, the inventors plan to displace “dirty” materials, contribute to cleaner air, and advance green tech.
DEXMAT has said that J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” was the inspiration for the name. In the book, a skilled elven smith named Eöl creates a new type of metal called galvorn, described as being thin and flexible, yet strong enough to serve as armor. You get the connection.
The IRL version of Galvorn is produced splitting hydrocarbons, chiefly found in the combustion of petroleum and natural gas. The material acts as a form of carbon storage and takes several forms, including tape, yarn, thread, or mesh, among other forms.
Myriad Applications
Galvorn mesh can be used in composite panels, electrodes and garments; a fiber thread for conductive wire, power lines and motor windings; and a film for electromagnetic shieldings, batteries and antennas.
It could make wind turbine blades lighter, making electricity production more efficient. Lighter weight vehicles and aircraft can extend range and reduce fuel consumption. Higher electrical conductivity in batteries and supercapacitors can improve performance in wind and solar and storage. DEXMAT can displace steel cores in utility transmission lines with a stronger and lighter substitute that is also more conductive, which can help move utility towers farther apart and drive down the cost of deploying new transmission lines. In the building industry, incorporating these fibers in the production of concrete and other building materials can create stronger and more durable buildings that extend lifespan. It is already being used for wiring in plane wings that can help de-ice them electrothermally.
More = Less
Galvorn is a material that brings us one step closer to reversing climate change. That’s because the more of it that’s produced and used, the less climate impact industries have. Here’s how:
Captures & Stores Carbon
As a carbon-based material, Galvorn locks carbon into long-term storage, where it can’t contribute to global warming.
Displaces “Dirty” Materials
By displacing steel, aluminum, and other materials with a heavy climate footprint, Galvorn production significantly cuts carbon emissions.
Diverts Methane
By using methane (CH4) as a Galvorn feedstock in the near term, methane is prevented from directly entering the atmosphere and is diverted from combustion.
Is Carbon Negative
By using renewable natural gas as a feedstock and, in the longer term, using captured carbon dioxide in technologies such as direct air capture, Galvorn production becomes heavily carbon negative.
Uses Renewable Energy
Galvorn’s production process uses electricity; when powered by renewable energy, it has a zero-emissions energy footprint.
Produces Clean H2
The primary byproduct of Galvorn production is molecular hydrogen, itself a climate-friendly fuel and intermediate feedstock of green ammonia and other fuels.
Replacing Scarce and Expensive Copper
Copper is an integral component not just of transmission wires (Google "copper theft" and you’ll see what an issue it already is for utilities), it’s also crucial for scaling up production of solar panels, wind turbines and EVs. Imagine a material that offers copper's conductivity but is also stronger than steel and lighter than aluminum. Galvorn, with its myriad applications, holds the promise to mitigate gigatons of annual industrial carbon dioxide emissions by curbing the production of carbon-intensive materials like steel, aluminum, and Kevlar production.
Because of its wide range of applications, the company claims that Galvorn has the potential to “displace” gigatons of annual industrial carbon dioxide emissions through reducing carbon-intensive steel, aluminum, and Kevlar production.
Your Next Investment?
The carbon nanotube business is certainly worth an investment consideration. The sector could grow from about $5.3 billion in 2021 to $10.5 billion by 2028. When you also consider that one of the primary feedstocks for Galvorn is methane, its potential to address emissions for carbon-intensive materials processes becomes even more intriguing.