Originally posted by James Baker on LinkedIn Over the last five years, there’s been a lot of government interest in our Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre model. I think it’s because, while we are 100% owned by The University of Manchester, we are different to a catapult. Firstly, we’re almost 100% industry funded, which gives us a commercial awareness and industry-first perspective that I think is critical to driving the progress and prosperity we need to ensure UK remains a technological superpower. It makes us hungry to develop solutions that address our partners’ needs, and it makes u ..read more

Originally posted by James Baker on LinkedIn The isolation of graphene in 2004 was a seminal breakthrough. Pioneers Sir Andre Geim and Sir Konstantin Novoselov sparked a global science revolution – a continued journey of discovery producing a range of breakthrough applications. We have achieved over 55 new companies at Manchester over the last 10 years associated with graphene and 2D materials in addition to working with over 300 companies from a range of industries. Many of these new companies are now going into the next stage of growth from graphene-enhanced concrete that reduces C02 C ..read more

Originally posted by James Baker on LinkedIn Twenty years on from the isolation of graphene, The University of Manchester remains a world leader in 2D materials innovation, and increasingly our partnership work is global, as companies and institutions come to access knowledge sharing and expertise. Firstly, our focus on sustainability has made us a go-to for countries looking to build climate resilience. We’ve partnered with Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa University The Center for Membranes and Advanced Water Technology (CMAT)- Khalifa University , to tackle the global challenges of water filtration and ..read more

Originally posted by James Baker on LinkedIn You’d expect me to argue that the future of graphene lies in sustainability, but the fact is, the graphene and 2D material sector is already being driven by innovations designed to tackle the climate crisis. Advanced materials research used to be driven by defence and heavy industry; the search to make applications ever stronger, lighter, faster. Now, ‘graphenes’ research is being pushed forward more quickly by companies focused on sustainability and in achieving the various goals and targets towards net-zero. This is proven by our partnership base ..read more

We caught up with NOWNANO CDT alumna, Bonnie Tsim. Bonnie completed a PhD in 2021 while working on research in the electronic properties of twistronic graphene. She now works in a corporate role but still has her sight set on entrepreneurship. Hi Bonnie, lovely to catch up with you. Tell us a bit about yourself. I’m Bonnie Tsim, 28, from Wolverhampton. After completing my master’s in Theoretical Physics at Lancaster University, I joined the Graphene NOWNANO CDT to continue my studies in graphene and other related 2D materials. Why did you originally choose the NOWNANO CDT at Manchester, and wh ..read more

Dayle Whittaker, Business Development Officer at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre hosting a lab facilities tourThe Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre brought together leading experts and industry professionals to explore how graphene could be the answer to the packaging industry’s quest for sustainability and efficiency. The Packaging Industry has always been on the lookout for groundbreaking technologies that not only meet the demands of the market but also address pressing environmental concerns. In the pursuit of sustainability and net-zero goals, a recent seminar at the Graph ..read more

Vivek Koncherry, CEO of Graphene Innovations Manchester Ltd and James Baker, CEO of Graphene@ManchesterThe Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre demonstrated impact of the commercialisation of graphene and 2D materials at the two-day event, organised by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) in partnership with ADNOC and MASDAR. Chief Executive Officer for Graphene@Manchester, James Baker, and members of the Graphene Engineering and Innovation Centre (GEIC) attended the first UAE Climate Tech forum at the Abu Dhabi Energy Centre. Held during the UAE’s Year of Sustainability ..read more

Postgraduate research students on the University’s Graphene NOWNANO CDT programme take part and demonstrate at science festivals, school visits and other public engagement events, to spread the word and inspire the next generation of graphene and 2D materials scientists. Outreach forms a key part of the programme and is a valuable way for research students to develop their communication and presentation skills through demonstrating and showcasing complex research concepts to a non-scientific audience. We asked our students to tell us about some of the public engagement activities they’ve taken ..read more

Graphene is at a tipping point for industry adoption but amid new market opportunities, you’ll also find opportunists. We caught up with Graphene@Manchester CEO James Baker and the National Physical Laboratory’s (NPL) leader on graphene characterisation Andrew Pollard to ask why standards for 2D materials are so vital and how the industry can avoid a repeat of what some refer to as “the hype and crash” of graphene’s earlier years. The early years of graphene R&D were marred by a loss of industry confidence in the material. Can you give us the background to why and how that happened? James ..read more