Khalifa University and Ducab Pioneer Nanotech Cables for Safer, Smarter Energy Solutions

Malaz Madani

Last updated 2-10-2025

3 min

Khalifa University and Ducab Group partner to research 2D nanomaterials for industrial uses.

They aim to make fire-retardant cables smarter, safer, and more cost-effective.

The collaboration integrates academic research with industrial applications, enhancing innovation in the UAE.

The project intends to reduce material usage by 20%, increasing safety and reducing costs.

This partnership could drive UAE's progress in becoming a leader in advanced manufacturing.

Khalifa University of Science and Technology has joined forces with Ducab Group in what looks like a forward‑thinking move to boost research on two‑dimensional (2D) nanomaterials and their industrial uses. The tie‑up, backed by ADQ’s R&D Fund, is set to kick off with a project aimed at making fire‑retardant cables smarter, safer and cheaper by blending materials like graphene and hexagonal boron nitride into new polymer composites. Sounds technical, yes, but in simple terms we’re talking about cables that can withstand heat better and last longer – a spot on response to growing demands for safety and efficiency.

The agreement was formalised between Professor Bayan Sharif, who serves as Provost at Khalifa University, and Charles‑Edouard Mellagui, CEO of Ducab Cables Business. Both stressed how this partnership balances academic research with industrial application. Sharif underscored Khalifa University’s role in giving students hands‑on exposure while pushing the UAE’s innovation agenda, while Mellagui called the collaboration an “important step” for Ducab in driving new standards for power solutions.

From what we know, the research team is being led by Dr Yarjan Abdul Samad from the Aerospace Engineering department, alongside senior academics like Prof. Kyriaki Polychronopoulou and Dr Imad Barsoum. A mix of postdocs, PhD candidates and Ducab’s own engineers will be rolling up their sleeves for this one. If all goes to plan, the results could trim material use by as much as 20%, reducing costs and bolstering safety at the same time. Moving from lab theory to industrial readiness (what they call TRL 4–6 in R&D jargon) is always a bit of a faff, but this project is designed with scaling in mind.

On the flip side, I reckon the really clever bit here lies in the UAE tying education, funding, and industry in one neat package. Plenty of countries talk about it, but few actually deliver. That said, nanomaterial research can be unpredictable, so patience will be key. If it pays off, Ducab could integrate these fire‑retardant composites across its product lines and perhaps even spin into other industrial uses.

At Arageek we often chat with founders who face the same challenge: taking bright lab work and making it commercially viable without burning through cash. I remember once sitting with a young hardware startup in Cairo – they were chuffed to bits about their prototype, but scaling up production was where reality bit hard. Khalifa University and Ducab seem to have grasped that lesson: bridge the academic‑industrial gap early, and the odds of success rise.

All told, this partnership feels like more than a one‑off project. It plants the seeds for sustained collaboration in emerging technologies, nudging the UAE further towards becoming not just a hub for energy solutions but a leader in advanced manufacturing too. And believe it or not, sometimes a cable can tell you a lot about where an economy’s innovation compass is pointing. It’s definately one to watch.

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