Seward High student urges DOT to study graphene nanoplatelets as a way to cut black-ice risks

Hannah Leatherman, a Seward High School sophomore and winner of the Caring for the Kenai student competition, told the Senate Transportation Committee on March 12 that blending graphene nanoplatelets into asphalt could reduce the formation of black ice on Alaska roads and reduce reliance on salt brine.

Leatherman said black ice forms when pavement is wet and temperatures fall below 32°F and described it as an “invisible killer,” presenting figures she attributed to her research: “This invisible killer causes 2,000 deaths in nearly 135,000 accidents annually in the U.S.,” and saying the state currently uses a brine mixture she described as 23.3% sodium chloride. She listed environmental concerns she said are associated with brine, including wildlife attraction and water contamination.

The claim about roadway fatalities and crashes was made by Leatherman as part of her presentation and is reported here as she stated it; the committee did not provide independent verification of the national figures at the hearing.

Why it matters: salt brines are widely used to reduce ice formation but bring trade-offs for infrastructure, waterways and roadside environments. If a material solution reduced the need for brine, it could change maintenance practices and environmental impacts statewide.

DOT response and next steps

Andy Mills, special assistant legislative liaison for the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF), told the committee that DOT had forwarded Leatherman’s submission to its chief engineer and that the department had located limited research—citing studies from China and Russia—but no broadly applicable U.S.- or Alaska-specific meta-analyses. Mills said DOT is open to working with the student and the committee to scope a formal research request and offered the department’s research nomination channels; he said rigorous testing would be needed first and that research timelines could range from one to two years for a rapid project to three to five years for more typical studies.

Senator Tobin disclosed he owns stock in a company called Graphite 1 while noting his praise for the project; the disclosure was made to the public record during committee questioning.

What Leatherman proposed

Leatherman described graphene nanoplatelets as lightweight graphite sheets with high thermal and electrical conductivity and suggested three implementation steps: (1) develop a graphene-enhanced asphalt mix, (2) pilot the mix during regular repair cycles rather than wholesale replacement, and (3) expand use if piloting shows benefits. She cited a public-road test in Teesside, England, as a promising example.

What DOT staff said

DOT engineers and region staff emphasized that the literature is not yet robust for operational deployment in Alaska. Marcus Zimmerman, chief of maintenance and operations for DOT’s South Coast Region, and Daniel Adamczak, Northern Region maintenance and operations engineer, both described the department’s interest in rigorous, Alaska-specific testing—particularly addressing environmental transport, procurement sources and cost uncertainty. Andy Mills volunteered DOT assistance to scope possible research requests through the department’s research programs.

Next steps

Committee members encouraged follow-up. Mills invited the student’s family to provide materials and said DOT would help explore research nomination pathways. Chair Senator Bjorkman closed by thanking Leatherman and noting the committee’s interest in continued engagement and possible DOT-led testing before any operational change.

Ending

Leatherman thanked the committee for the opportunity; DOT staff left the door open to pursue scoped research. The committee did not take formal action on the proposal during the March 12 session.