As part of our work as the ESA Technology Broker UK we have been approached by Sweet Atoms UK Ltd, a UK-based SME offering an advanced glassy carbon material with exceptional chemical inertness, flexibility, and thermal resistance above 2500 °C.
This next-generation technology is an engineered carbon material classed as flexible, non-graphitisable glassy carbon. It has been developed to operate in extreme environments where conventional materials fail, such as high-temperature, corrosive, or electrochemically active systems, enabling durable protective coatings, corrosion shielding, and dendrite suppression.
The enabling concept behind this material is an entangled carbon ribbon microstructure that inhibits graphitisation and preserves isotropic properties at the nanoscale.
Manufactured using controlled precursor conversion and photonic curing methods, allowing scalable, crack-free films on metal and complex substrates, it has a number of potential space sector applications, including:
- Thermal Protection and Structural Components: Keeping coatings or structural elements stable above 2500 °C, this is useful for re-entry vehicles, propulsion systems, and high-temperature instrument housings
- Corrosion and Radiation Resistance: Creating protective layers for spacecraft components that are exposed to atomic oxygen, plasma, or corrosive fuels
- Electrochemical Systems in Space: As current collectors and electrodes for next-generation space batteries or regenerative fuel cells that require long cycle life and dendrite suppression
- Optical and Photonic Coatings: For producing radiation-hardened, photo-stable coatings for telescopes, sensors, or laser-based systems in space environments
Advantages and Capabilities
The glassy carbon material functions as a protective coating and structural component that is able to resist corrosion from acids, bases, and solvents. Capable of maintaining stability at temperatures >2500 °C, the material also supports uniform electrochemical deposition, preventing dendrites and extending electrochemical cycle life from <400 to >1250 cycles. With exceptional corrosion resistance and up to 10× reduction in magnesium systems, the material is able to provide coatings that flex without cracking. In addition, the material is has a scalable, eco-friendly production process, with no toxic by-products. It also provides strong adhesion to metals and compatibility with 3D or flexible substrates.
Find Out More:
With a number of critical space sector applications available for this system, you can find out more about this technology here: https://www.esa-technology-broker.co.uk/technologies/glassy-carbon-engineered-for-extreme-environments
If you would like to explore this technology further for potential applications, please get in touch with us by emailing contactus@esa-technology-broker.co.uk.