Graphene researchers given grant

Swedish scientists have been awarded a grant of almost £4 million to further the research and development of graphene for use in high-quality electrical components.

The grant has been issued by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation and will be split between Chalmers University of Technology, with some of the funding also going to joint research at the Universities of Uppsala and Linkoping.

"It would be a good idea to get together with more graphene research groups, and perhaps form a national research centre," said Mikael Fogelstrom, the project co-ordinator.

"The money will be used for everything from producing graphene to developing a variety of products, with basic research into experimental and theoretical physics along the way," he added.

Chalmers University of Technology has been undertaking the research for the last five years but next year the EU will make a decision about whether the pilot project will get yet more funding and be developed into a flagship scheme.

Posted by Ben Evens