MATERIALS
system with exceptional
effi ciency (>150%,
compared to
conventional
systems).
However,
bringing a new
material to market
is not without its
challenges.
Historically, it takes
an average of 30 years to
take a material from its
invention into the
commercial realm. Low-cost
aluminium, for instance, was fi rst
isolated in 1824, and for a while during
the 19th century it was more expensive
than gold, and considered as a very
luxurious metal. Aluminium wasn’t
widely used until an aff ordable
manufacture structure was set up in
1886, and it didn’t become popular until
the early 1900s. Materials that also
experienced similar time lags in their
adoption include titanium, Tefl on,
Velcro and polycarbonate, a plastic
material used in the manufacture of
bulletproof glass.
Careful planning is essential in the
phase when research and
commercialisation start to overlap.
Particularly due to the sharp contrast
between the languages that are used in
academia and industry. To ensure this
process runs smoothly and successfully,
a key driver is the establishment of
effi cient networks between both worlds.
The Graphene Flagship has done this
through a core consortium of over 150
academic and industrial groups. Around
50% of the current members are
companies aiming to incorporate
graphene into their products.
Thanks to this multidisciplinary
network, the Graphene Flagship
envisioned the European Roadmap for
Graphene Science and Technology – an
expected timeline for the adoption of
graphene technologies. The roadmap
focuses on fundamental
industry areas, such as
electronic devices,
photonics, sensors,
energy conversion,
energy storage and
biomedical
devices.
On top of
that, the
Graphene
Flagship has
established
22 » SEPTEMBER 2020 » WWW.MADEIN.IE
two new services for
the validation and
standardisation of
graphene and
related materials,
which will be of
outstanding
utility for
industries looking
into incorporating
graphene into their
products. So far, the
absence of accurate
measurement protocols
and the lack of standards
have become a serious obstacle to the
commercialisation of graphene and
related materials. The Graphene
Flagship enabled professional validation
and standardisation processes –
provided by national measurement
institutes renowned for their excellence,
integrity and impartiality – that will
accelerate the technology development
and transfer to industry.
The Graphene Flagship has also
released a handbook of graphene
manufacturing that gathers all the knowhow
in the manufacture of graphene and
related materials acquired during years
of basic research. Encompassing over
1,500 references and the knowledge of
over 70 co-authors from the Graphene
Flagship consortium, this handbook
provides a single source of knowledge
on graphene and other layered materials.
There were 124 years between the
discovery of silicon in 1824, and the
creation of the silicon chip in 1958.
Now, arguably the most infl uential
invention in computing so far, this chip
technology is used in almost all modern
products. Bringing a new material to
market cannot be rushed, but when
managed properly, can yield incredible
results. MADE
effiffiffi The
Graphene
Flagship
With a budget of €1
billion, the Graphene
Flagship represents
a new form of joint,
coordinated research
on an unprecedented
scale, forming Europe’s
biggest ever research
initiative.
The Graphene
Flagship is tasked
with bringing together
academic and industrial
researchers to take
graphene from the
realm of academic
laboratories into
European society in the
space of 10 years, thus
generating economic
growth, new jobs and
new opportunities.
The core consortium
consists of over 150
academic and industrial
research groups in 23
countries. In addition,
the project has a
growing number of
associated members
that will be incorporated
in the scientifi c and
technological work
packages from the
Horizon 2020 phase.
The Graphene
Flagship is, along
with the Human Brain
Project, the fi rst of the
European Commission’s
Future and Emerging
Technology (FET)
Flagships, whose
mission is to address
the big scientifi c
and technological
challenges of the age
through long-term,
multidisciplinary
research and
development efforts.
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