UAE Establishes First National High Temperature Materials Laboratory To Boost Local Research Efforts

Mubadala Investment Company, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), Strata Manufacturing, and Khalifa University have signed an agreement to establish the UAE's first national laboratory and research programme focused on high-temperature materials. This facility will be located at Khalifa University's Main Campus in Abu Dhabi. It aims to advance research in high-temperature materials for both industrial applications and academic studies within the UAE.

EGA plans to utilise this new laboratory for practical research into refractories, carbon-based materials, anode baking furnaces, and waste management. The research will focus on capturing and recovering heat energy from industrial processes to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In aluminium smelting, about half of the energy is lost as waste heat.

The initiative seeks to foster long-term partnerships between academia and industry. By engaging in collaborative advanced R&D efforts, the programme aims to address challenges locally. Currently, such research can only be conducted abroad. EGA's CEO Abdulnasser Bin Kalban stated, "At EGA, one of our core values is to continuously improve our business and operations through innovation."

Prof. Ebrahim Al Hajri, President of Khalifa University, expressed satisfaction with the ongoing collaboration with EGA, Mubadala Investment Company, and Strata Manufacturing. He highlighted the university's role in providing localised solutions tailored to unique industrial challenges. This achievement results from over a decade of collaboration with industrial partners.

Mubadala Investment Company is committed to launching advanced R&D programmes that develop capabilities critical to national priorities. The focus will be on applied research and providing solutions for technical needs. Additionally, it aims to nurture capable UAE scientists and technologists for careers in R&D.

Commitment to Sustainability

EGA has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 in alignment with the UAE’s Strategic Initiative. The company has a roadmap for decarbonising its operations. For over a decade, EGA has collaborated with other industries in the UAE to find productive uses for by-products from aluminium production.

EGA has already developed re-uses for several waste streams from its activities, including bauxite residue and carbon dust. The company's technology team works extensively with universities both locally and internationally. These partnerships include institutions like Khalifa University and MIT.

This collaboration marks a significant step towards enhancing the UAE's position in industrial technology development while contributing to Operation 300bn's growth strategy. It also strengthens local research capabilities by enabling more practical studies within the country itself rather than relying on international facilities.

The establishment of this laboratory underscores the importance of fostering innovation through strategic partnerships between academia and industry leaders in the UAE. As these collaborations continue to evolve, they are expected to yield significant advancements in high-temperature material research that benefit both local industries and global markets alike.

With inputs from WAM