16/05/2025
Sabancı University hosted the opening meeting of the Light-G-Comp (Lightweight, sustainable, and energy-efficient designs and production methods for upcycled Graphene reinforced hybrid Composites) project in Istanbul on May 5–7, 2025 with the participation of prominent academic and industrial stakeholders from Turkey and the Gulf region. The meeting was held at the Sabancı University Composite Technologies Center of Excellence.
The Light-G-Comp project, supported by the Research & Innovation Center for Graphene and 2D Materials (RIC2D) of Khalifa University, is an international collaboration initiative focused on the development of sustainability and lightweight composite materials. The project aims to develop recycled and functional graphene-based hybrid thermoplastic solutions in high value-added sectors such as automotive, aviation, and energy.
The meeting was attended by Prof. Dr. Burcu Saner Okan (Principal Investigator),and Prof. Dr. Mehmet Yıldız (Vice President), and Talat Durgut (Director of the Research, Development, and Technology Transfer Office) attended from Sabancı University. Khalifa University and Strata Company from the United Arab Emirates, and sector representatives such as Farplas, Eurotec and Euronova from Turkey also attended.
Within the scope of the meeting, project work packages and joint task distributions were presented. Sabancı University Integrated Manufacturing Technologies Research and Application Center (SUIMC) and Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM) laboratories, Farplas’ production lines, and Euronova’s R&D capabilities, as well as Eurotec Engineering Plastics’ production and testing facilities in Çorlu were visited.
In addition, meaningful gifts presented to Sabancı University by Yahya Zweiri, Professor and Research Center Director at Khalifa University, and Associate Professor Dr. Yarjan Abdul Samad reinforced the cooperation between institutions.
The project aims to directly contribute to the reduction of plastic waste, which is among the most critical environmental and industrial problems of our time, the reduction of carbon footprint, and the development of high-performance, sustainable material solutions. Light-G-Comp aims to provide innovative and environmentally friendly solutions for different thermoplastic material groups, especially used in the transportation sector (including automotive and aviation), through the development of hybrid composites reinforced with graphene obtained from recycled sources.
The project’s outputs will have a significant impact not only in industrial applications, but also in developing policies that promote environmental circularity, creating new content in materials engineering education, and accelerating international technology transfer processes.
The next face-to-face meeting of the project will be held simultaneously with the Innovative & Industrial 2D/Advanced Materials Summit & Expo (I2DM2025) event to be held in Abu Dhabi in November 2025.
