SLINTEC’s oil spill solution boosts SL’s role in marine protection

SLINTEC team behind the innovation: Scientist Thivindu Randeep, Senior Principal Scientist Dr. Nuwan de Silva, CEO Dr. Thushara Perera with Researcher Heshan Kamaljith and Research Scientist Danusha Rajapaksha

Sri Lanka has stepped up efforts to contribute to global marine environmental protection with the Institute of Nanotechnology (SLINTEC) unveiling a pioneering graphene-based material designed to absorb oil spills with unprecedented efficiency.

The innovative material, developed using Sri Lanka’s premium graphite, is reusable, non-toxic and environmentally friendly, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional oil spill cleaning solutions like polyurethane. SLINTEC’s breakthrough marks a new standard for safeguarding marine ecosystems from the devastating impact of oil spills.The solution is to be deployed in collaboration with Inovartic of UAE and a major oil services company in the UAE.

SLINTEC’s collaboration with UAE-based Inovartic Investments and a major oil services company represents a significant step in addressing the US $ 172 billion global ocean cleaning industry. “We are proud to see our innovation recognised and embraced on a global scale. This agreement signifies the transformative power of partnerships in creating impactful solutions. This partnership with Inovartic Investments will help SLINTEC to support grassroots-level innovators in Sri Lanka, supporting the new government’s plan to foster innovation into productive outcomes and partnerships to enter global markets,” said SLINTEC CEO Dr. Thushara Perera. 

Thilan Wijesinghe, Chairman of SLINTEC since 2022, stated, “With the proposed establishment of the Graphene Centre at the Abu Dhabi University (ADU) Innovation Centre, SLINTEC will enhance its capabilities of taking its robust pipeline of graphite-based innovations to the global market and earn export income from technology transfer fees, royalty and dividends.”