1-Nokia scores $1.35bn grant for graphene development
Dr. Leonid Ponomarenko and his colleagues at Manchester University have done graphene research that could lead to new computer chip designs. Nokia Corporation (NYSE: NOK) and the European-based consortium Graphene Flagship received a $1.35 billion grant this week from the European Union for research and development of the super-material graphene, reports the Nokia blog.
"When we talk about graphene, we’ve reached a tipping point. We’re now looking at the beginning of a graphene revolution. Before this point in time, we figured out a way to manufacture cheap iron that led to the Industrial Revolution. Then there was silicon. Now, it’s time for graphene,” said Nokia Research Center leader Jani Kivioja, adding he expects it will improve existing materials and products to make them better than before.
Graphene, which is extracted from graphite, is a two-dimensional ultra-thin sheet of carbon atoms. It is the best conductor of heat and is 40 times stronger than steel. It is also a semiconductor whose electrical conductivity is 1,000 times better than silicon's. Some people predict it will become the material of choice for computer chips.