$1.35 Billion Grant For Graphene Development Targets "Strongest Material Ever"

Scientists have been talking up the potential of super-material graphene for years now, though dedicated efforts to actually exploit the material are only now really beginning to take off. Nokia has announced that the Graphene Flagship Consortium, of which it's perhaps the best known member, has secured a $1.35 billion grant to help develop practical applications of graphene.

Graphene is a 2-D structure that's only one atom thick, yet it's the strongest material ever produced being 300 times tougher than steel. The material is also one of the lightest conductors of electricity in existence making it highly appealing for use in electronic devices.

Nokia is a member of the Graphene Flagship Consortium that includes 73 other companies and academic institutions. The $1.35 billion grant the Consortium received is to be used for researching and development of graphene for practical applications, and was stumped up by the European Union for the Future and Emerging Technologies.

Nokia research leader Jani Kivioja says that not only does the graphene research consortium open up the research possibilities for the material, it also creates new jobs in Europe. The researcher suggests that, while its unlikely graphene will become a normal building material for various products, it is expected to be used to improve existing materials and products.

[via TomsHardware]