McLaren unveils a titanium-graphene watch

McLaren, the British racing team/supercar manufacturer, has announced the new RM 50-03 Tourbillon Split Seconds Chronograph Ultralight McLaren F1. The watch's mechanism weighs only 7 grams and the entire watch just 40, with the help of a graphene, titanium and carbon fiber composite.

It was reported that McLaren's Applied Technologies division has been working with the National Graphene Institute on applications for graphene, out of which high-end watchmaker Richard Mille (working in collaboration with McLaren), constructed the three-part case, with the titanium and carbon-fiber movement at its center.

Read the full story Posted: Jan 19,2017

Versarien secures a significant graphene order

Versarien, the advanced materials group, announced the receipt of a significant graphene order for a carbon fibre composite related OEM application.

Versarien has received an order with a value of over £100,000 (around $124,900 USD) for graphene in the form of Few Layer Graphene Nano Platelets (GNPs) from a European commercial customer, in conjunction with the NGI. This graphene will be certified by the NGI and Versarien will be handling the dispersion of the GNPs into the resin to be used by the customer. The resin will be provided by the customer free of charge and will be returned to the customer in Europe once mixed with Versarien's GNPs.

Read the full story Posted: Nov 30,2016

The NGI to work with Tianjin High-tech Area and Allied Vehicles on graphene-enhanced batteries for EVs

Update: After speaking with the NGI, it seems that there is no such cooperation taking place. China's Tianjin High-tech Area (THT) will cooperate with Allied Vehicles Group in Scotland, a leading supplier of adapted and special purpose vehicles and the National Institute of Graphene of the Manchester University on the development of graphene-enhanced batteries for new energy vehicles (NEV).

The Tianjin High-tech Area has formed a complete NEV industrial chain over the years, including battery, motor and other component development. The THT is expecting near-future investments and plans to expand in most parts of the industrial chain.

Read the full story Posted: Oct 25,2016

Versarien announces successful completion of graphene composites project with the NGI

Versarien has announced the successful completion of a grant funded project focused on graphene enhanced carbon fibre composites with the National Graphene Institute (NGI) at The University of Manchester.

Extensive trials of the graphene produced by Versarien’s subsidiary, 2-DTech, by an NGI team, in carbon fibre composite products, has demonstrated the benefit of adding graphene, particularly with regard to significantly enhancing the strength of the structure.

Read the full story Posted: Oct 13,2016

Oxford Instruments enters agreement to supply a turnkey system for graphene characterisation to NGI and NPL

Oxford Instruments announced the launch of a new collaborative project with the UK’s National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and the National Graphene Institute (NGI), partially funded by the Innovate UK for development of a commercial measurement system for nanotechnology applications.

The proposed turnkey system will be developed at the Oxford's Tubney Woods, UK site. The measurement system will be operating at cryogen free low magnetic fields and will enable primary resistance calibrations with unprecedented accuracies to be used by national metrology laboratories and industrial companies. The system will reduce operational costs, save time and complexity.  

Read the full story Posted: Sep 06,2016

Thomas Swan and NGI announce partnership

Thomas Swan announced a unique partnership with the National Graphene Institute (NGI) to provide development materials to boost graphene research and commercialization while also increasing early stage research on other 2D materials.

Through the new partnership Thomas Swan will contribute 2D products to support early stage research projects within the NGI and will also support scale-up for prototyping of new technologies. The NGI will provide feedback on the performance of Thomas Swan products and identify opportunities for future improvement.

Read the full story Posted: Jul 27,2016

China-Manchester deal could see graphene-based trains and aircraft

A trade deal between China and Manchester will aim at graphene-based transportation. Scientists at Manchester University will team up with the Beijing Institute of Aeronautical Materials in a five-year research project that will aim to build graphene-based aircraft and trains.

The Chinese funding, thought to be worth up to £3 million, will be put into the project that will include joint research as well as the exchange of scientists between Beijing and the university’s National Graphene Institute.

Read the full story Posted: Jul 25,2016

A graphene-enhanced vehicle unveiled in Manchester

A vehicle made with graphene in its bodywork has recently been unveiled in Manchester. The car was made by Briggs Automotive Company (BAC) and graphene is said to be used in the car's panels. The BAC Mono spearheads an exhibition to highlight the future of graphene technology.

The BAC Mono has reportedly been road-tested and is being displayed at the National Graphene Institute in Manchester as part of the Science in the City festival from July 22-29. James Baker, graphene business director at The University of Manchester, said: "The graphene car is an excellent example of how graphene can be incorporated into existing products to improve performance".

Read the full story Posted: Jul 24,2016

Haydale to become a collaborating member of the NGI

The National Graphene Institute (NGI) recently signed a collaborative partnership with Haydale to accelerate the commercialization of applications. Haydale has been working closely with the NGI, and has now entered into a formal partnership which aims to leverage each party’s particular expertise in order to seek opportunities to develop and commercialize graphene products and applications.

This collaboration will likely see the NGI utilizing the Haydale patented process incorporated in its R&D plasma reactor for research into the functionalization of graphene and other nanomaterials. It will also look into the use, process and identification of nanomaterials to enhance performance in composites, sensors, printable inks, supercapacitators, rubbers and elastomers.

Read the full story Posted: Jun 28,2016

NGI and BGT refute claims regarding sensitive graphene information leak

According to The Times, the UK is set to launch an investigation relating to the NGI and BGT Materials. The inquiry will follow concerns that lucrative information could be passed to China through BGT, a British company majority-owned by a Taiwanese businessman. It was even claimed that academics refuse to work at the £61 million National Graphene Institute (NGI) due to these concerns.

The NGI and BGT refute these claims. The NGI stated that: "The University of Manchester has thoroughly investigated all of the claims and allegations put to it by the Sunday Times and has found no evidence whatsoever that BGT Materials or Bluestone has had access, outside of any confidentiality undertaking, to confidential research programmes or that there were insufficient safeguards to protect the University’s Intellectual Property.

Read the full story Posted: Mar 16,2016