May 19 2015
Representatives from the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) attended the Graphene International Co-operation Exchange held in Fengtai Park, Beijing, China, on 21 April 2015.
Jie Zhang, teams from the Science Park Management Committee, BFM and NPL
The aim of the meeting was to promote further international cooperation for the graphene industry, building a supply chain from graphene production to high-tech end use and integrated application platforms. Standards and metrology are seen as critical to this success.
The local team was represented by Jie Zhang, Vice Mayor Fengtai District and head of the Science Park, as well as a team from the Science Park Management Committee and BFM. Kamal Hossain, Ling Hao and Rhys Lewis represented NPL at the meeting.
The meeting follows on from the signing of a tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) and confidentiality to expand standard testing and metrology co-operation for graphene and other 2D materials. The MoU will lead to a comprehensive upgrade of both Fengtai's and China's graphene industry.
At the meeting Jie Zhang stated that although the Science Park was established more than twenty years ago, it is undergoing a transition period of development. The graphene project has been selected as a critical point in the strategic plan for high tech development of the Science Park. Currently, graphene industry development in China has been widespread but unfocused. Fengtai Park will be application-oriented, with NPL co-operating closely in promoting breakthroughs in graphene standards, testing and R&D.
The commercial application of graphene in China is ripe for development and Fengtai Science Park, with more than 5,000 companies, already has some 20 % of graphene-related businesses. Currently, graphene is a hot topic in the domestic market in China, but there are no agreed standards. Graphene standardisation work has recently begun in China, as the developing Chinese graphene industry will soon need the support of national standards. Fengtai Park will focus on national standards, building towards international standards development work for graphene, with NPL guidance. By gathering talent and business resources to develop the key graphene technologies, high-tech industrial production chain and integrated application service platforms will also result.
UK experts led by NPL will further explore cooperation with the Fengtai Park and BFM to be at the forefront of the country's industrial development of graphene, as well as international industrial graphene research. Together, a graphene standard test centre will be developed, and further expansion of international cooperation between the two sides will be pursued.