Researchers to unlock potential of graphene

Thin layer of pure carbon tougher than diamond could change way planes and trains are made

A China-UK program is pioneering research into how graphene - the thinnest, strongest and most conductive material on the planet - could revolutionize the aircraft manufacturing industry.

The Beijing Institute of Aeronautical Materials and the University of Manchester's National Graphene Institute announced a five-year collaboration project on July 25.

The program will look at how the material could be used to make airplanes, high-speed trains and other industrial equipment both lighter and more robust.

Shaojiu Yan, the project's principal investigator, says the long-term partnership will "benefit us in broadening the research area on graphene materials, enhancing collaborative research and exchanging experience and expertise on graphene".

Graphene is one of the most interesting discoveries of modern times. A thin layer of pure carbon, it is tougher than a diamond, lightweight and easily conducts electricity and heat.

Researches believe graphene could be used to replace traditional manufacturing materials, and the China-UK project will specifically examine whether it can be added to the metal, rubber and adhesive components used for aircraft.

"Graphene is a strong, lightweight material, and in the transport industry it's important to save weight and be fuel-efficient," says Robert Young, a professor of polymer science and technology and head of the project for the Manchester institute.

The five-year program will focus on primary research. After that, the Beijing institute, which is funding the research, will work to commercialize the results with Chinese and international companies.

Young says new aviation technologies usually take a long time to appear on the market due to complex certification procedures. Plus, he adds, the wider challenge in terms of commercialization is the lack of universal standards.

The Manchester University institute and Britain's National Physical Laboratory are currently working to develop standards for the graphene industry that could be used to certify quality.

China is at the forefront of commercializing graphene's application potential. The central government identified it as a strategically important material in its 13th Five-Year Plan, the blueprint for social and economic development between 2016 and 2020, and is eager to work with Britain to develop potential uses.

President Xi Jinping toured the National Graphene Institute during his state visit to Britain in October. That same month, the institute signed a deal with Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies Corp, and in December agreed to team up with the Beijing institute.

"The level of interest from Chinese companies keen to work with us has really taken off since the state visit. We've received so many enquiries," says James Baker, graphene business director at the Manchester institute.

"We're keen to work with any organizations who have the resources and potential for investment into the graphene industry, so that technology can be commercialized faster.

"While we're focused on research, we want to increase the effect and value that the outcome of our research can bring, so working with big industry partners in China makes sense, as well as companies from the UK and other nations."

Graphene was first isolated from the mineral graphite at the University of Manchester by Andre Geim and Kostya Novoselov in 2004. The achievement saw the duo receive the Nobel Prize for physics in 2010.

China's graphene market is forecast to reach 200 million yuan ($30 million; 27.1 million euros) in 2018, compared with a projected global market of $65 million, according to ResearchInChina, a Beijing market intelligence company. The global market last year was worth $24.4 million.