Keeping up with graphene research and exploitation
1 min read
Graphene has been seen as the 'best thing since sliced bread' since Professors Geim and Novoselov discovered it at Manchester University in 2004. The researchers were subsequently honoured with Nobel Prizes in Physics and Knighthoods.
Since then, the UK has been perceived as holding a world leading position when it comes to exploiting the potential opportunities offered by graphene.
At the beginning of 2013, Chancellor George Osborne said: "It's exactly what our commitment to science and a proactive industrial strategy is all about - and we've beaten off strong global competition. Now I am glad to announce investment that will help take it from the British laboratory to the British factory floor."
But graphene research is continuing apace elsewhere; earlier this month, the European Commission launched a 10year, €1billion Graphene Flagship with the aim of 'revolutionising' multiple industries and creating economic growth and new jobs in Europe. Other areas, including Singapore, are also making major efforts to exploit the material's properties.
It's hard to work out quite how much the UK has invested in graphene, but it's probably much less than £100million - and £45m of that appears to be committed to building a national graphene institute which doesn't start operations until 2015.
How much will be invested in the future remains to be seen, but I certainly hope the UK will maintain its leading position.
