Base Materials partners with Triton Submarines

Image Copyright Triton Submarines

The innovative DNV certified vessel, with a fully transparent acrylic pressure hull, can dive to depths of 2,286 metres (7,500 feet) for durations exceeding 10 hours, offering explorers, scientists and filmmakers unprecedented access to the ocean’s bathypelagic zone, a realm of the ocean that lies between 1,000 and 4,000 metres (3,280 to 13,123 feet) below the surface.

Following an upgrade to enhance the Triton 7500/3 capabilities, Base Materials has supplied six additional DNV certified buoyancy modules to achieve the necessary uplift to allow the vessel to dive over 1.4 miles below the ocean’s surface. The modules are manufactured from Base Material’s DNV approved Subtec 3,000 buoyancy material, a low-density, high-performance syntactic foam material qualified for use at depths down to 3,000 metres.

Stephen Sloan, Head of Commercial at Base Materials, said: "Triton Submarines is renowned for building the world’s finest submersibles, challenging conventional thinking and pushing the boundaries of innovation to increase ocean awareness and advocacy, we’re proud to have launched a technical partnership that further strengthens our support of the most ambitious subsea applications.”

Sophie Bentham-Wood, Executive Director of Global Marketing and Sales Strategies at Triton Submarines LLC, commented: "We wanted to forge a long-term technical partnership with a materials specialist that understands and is able to deliver against the stringent requirements our submersible applications demand, from both a performance and DNV classification perspective. Additionally, we wanted a partner with a strong UK presence, enabling us to access technical assistance as and when we need it most. Base Materials provided exactly that and more.”

In addition to providing the Subtec 3000 buoyancy material, Base Materials leveraged its network of trusted partners to ensure the modules were precisely CNC-machined to meet the project’s design requirements. Prior to delivery, DNV personnel witnessed the calibrated buoyancy checks and dimensional surveys and conducted material documentation reviews at Base Materials’ facility in the UK, to ensure the modules fully complied with the Triton Submarines specifications and met the DNV requirements to maintain the vessel certification.

With densities from 400 – 650 kg/m3 and grades to suit a range of seawater depths from 2,000 metres to 11,500 metres, Base Materials’ Subtec buoyancy materials comprise high-grade hollow glass microspheres and a novel thermoset polymer matrix, producing ultra-high strength-to-weight characteristics with excellent water ingress resistance. From water absorption to hydrostatic crush pressure, density to uniaxial compressive strength and more, the range is rigorously tested in-house.