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.