Graphene research gets £21.5m boost

£21.5million - £12m from a 2011 funding of £50m and nearly £10m from the EPSRC - will be allocated to specific UK universities, who will also commit £14m to the effort. First isolated in 2010 by Professors Novoselov and Andre Geim, graphene is the thinnest, strongest and most conductive material ever discovered. 200 times stronger than steel yet less than an atom thick, it is thought to have a wide range of potential uses in the electronics and composites industries. "It's exactly what our commitment to science and a proactive industrial strategy is all about – and we've beaten off strong global competition," said the chancellor. "Now I am glad to announce investment that will help take it from the British laboratory to the British factory floor." The University of Cambridge has been awarded more than £12m for research into graphene based flexible electronics and optoelectronics, while Imperial College London will receive £4.5m to investigate potential aerospace applications. The other successful projects are based at the University of Manchester, Durham University, the University of Exeter and Royal Holloway. The universities will themselves contribute approximately £2m to the overall effort, and will work with industrial partners including BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Dyson, Sharp and Philips Research - which will together bring in a further £12m.