Hycamite, a cleantech company from Kokkola, has taken steps forward in developing advanced carbon materials through its SUSCAPO project within the SPIRIT programme. The project focused on exploring how Hycamite’s low-carbon footprint carbon materials produced by their proprietary methane splitting technology can be used as additives in polymer applications, opening new opportunities for European materials resilience and sustainability. We discussed the outcomes of the SUSCAPO project with Davide Bergna, Senior Application Specialist, Carbon Business Sales from Hycamite.
Turning methane into high-value materials
Hycamite’s advanced methane-splitting technology produces two key products with a low carbon footprint: hydrogen and carbon products which can be tailored to customer demands for several industrial applications Leveraging more than 20 years of research from the University of Oulu, Finland, Hycamite has developed a process that consumes 87% less energy compared to electrolysis, while its process generates zero CO2 emissions. The company operates an industrial-scale customer sample facility in Kokkola with a nominal capacity of 2 kilotonnes of hydrogen and 6 kilotonnes of carbon materials annually. Unlike conventional carbon black production, Hycamite’s process generates no CO₂ emissions and can use either natural gas or biomethane as feedstock. Much of the company’s early development work has already been carried out with biomethane.
A major milestone for Hycamite is its designation as a strategic project under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act, recognising its potential to meet up to 40 percent of Europe’s graphite needs. This is especially relevant given that almost all global graphite supply currently comes from China.
Exploring polymer applications
Within the SPIRIT project, Hycamite investigated how its graphitic carbon materials could be used to enhance properties of plastics such as polypropylene and polystyrene. The aim was to tailor the properties of Hycamite’s carbon materials so that they disperse well in polymer matrices and deliver the required performance enhancements.
A central focus was improving electrical conductivity. While polymers are naturally insulating, adding carbon can enable static dissipation or electrical conduction, depending on the application needs. Hycamite successfully demonstrated that its products can deliver conductivity levels comparable to traditional carbon black, despite having different structural characteristics.
The company also tested the potential of its emerging carbon fibre material. With both material types, Hycamite achieved meaningful improvements in conductivity while maintaining good dispersion, which is one of the most challenging aspects of polymer composite development.
Collaboration driving innovation
Hycamite emphasises that its expertise lies in carbon, while polymer processing expertise must come from its industry partners. The SPIRIT project created an environment where these capabilities could be combined. Dialogue with polymer companies was essential for understanding required specifications, target properties and acceptable loading levels.
This collaborative approach also ensures that material development aligns with real industrial conditions, including commercial constraints and the need for high performance, locally available and lower carbon alternatives.
Supporting European resilience
Beyond material performance, Hycamite sees strong strategic value in developing locally produced carbon additives. The polymer industry experienced supply chain vulnerabilities after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which affected the availability of conventional carbon black. Hycamite’s technology provides a European alternative produced without the harmful emissions associated with traditional furnace black production.
The company believes Europe will benefit from domestic production of advanced carbon materials, especially as demand grows in both the polymer and battery sectors.
Looking forward
Although the SPIRIT project has officially ended, Hycamite continues its work on carbon for polymer applications. As it scales up its graphite production under the CRMA framework, different types of carbon side streams will also become available for further development. The polymer and composite sector remains one of the company’s top priorities due to its technical sophistication and potential for high-value applications.
Hycamite aims to build long-term cooperation with industry partners as it deepens its understanding of polymer carbon interactions and expands to new polymers beyond the initial test materials.
Value of the SPIRIT ecosystem
Hycamite highlighted the importance of the SPIRIT ecosystem in fostering collaboration across companies and sectors. Bringing together different expertise areas helped identify shared opportunities and accelerate development. Hycamite sees this kind of coordinated innovation environment as vital for strengthening domestic production capabilities and raising Europe’s competitiveness in high-tech materials.