
National Graphene Institute (NGI)
The key to realising the potential of graphene is partnership.
At 7,825 square metres and with £13m of state-of-the-art equipment, the National Graphene Institute (NGI) is the home of this collaboration. The facilities enable academics and their industrial partners to work side-by-side on new and exciting applications.
Industry has a vital role to play in how the world's first 2D material will be utilised. Research is nothing without development.
A big space for big ideas
The NGI is equipped with 1,500m² of class 100 and 1000 cleanrooms - which have an atmosphere more than a million times purer than air - and the latest technology for nanoscale and characterisation projects.
Collaboration
Collaboration is key at the National Graphene Institute. We offer our industrial partners the opportunity to work alongside our world-leading academics and more than 300 people working on graphene and 2D materials.
Examples of NGI collaborative projects:
- Demonstrations of new concepts, applications and fundamental studies.
- Demonstrating graphene's potential by producing new concept products and processes.
- Development of low-cost scalable manufacturing methods for high-quality graphene.
- Process stabilisation, achieving reproducible quality, high manufacturing yields.
- Graphene standardisation, quality control and health and safety.
World leading research
Ultra-high specification facilities
The 7,825 square metre, five-storey building has been designed using pioneering techniques to incorporate ultra-high specification facilities throughout to create a world-leading research hub.
Dedicated space for graphene research
The NGI boasts 1,500 square metres of class 100 and 1000 cleanrooms - the world’s largest academic space of its kind dedicated to graphene research.
High quality modern equipment
The Institute also houses £11m worth of equipment to enable academics and industry partners to conduct groundbreaking research.
Investment in graphene
Funding for the NGI includes £38m from the UK Government, as part of £50m allocated for graphene research. The remaining £23m was awarded to the University by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
The NGI operates as a 'hub and spoke' model, working with other UK institutions involved in graphene research.
Individual research projects are funded by a number of organisations, including EPSRC, the Leverhulme Trust, BBSRC, the European Commission (EC) and its European Research Council (ERC), and The Royal Society.