Thiruvananthapuram to lead India’s graphene research

Thiruvananthapuram: The stage is set for the first graphene research and innovation centre in the country to become a reality as a memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed by the implementation partners here in this regard. Digital University Kerala, the country’s first on-campus digital university, Centre for Materials for Electronics Technologies (C-MET) and Tata Steel are the implementation partners of the innovative initiative.

A translational research centre being established by the Government of India and Government of Kerala to drive research and innovation in the applications of graphene, the India Innovation Centre for Graphene will undertake research and development, product innovation and capacity building activities in the area of graphene and 2D materials ecosystem. Digital University Vice- Chancellor Saji Gopinath, CMET Director N Raghu and Tata Steel Vice-President (Technology and New Materials) Debashish Bhattacharjee signed the MoU in the presence of Finance Minister K N Balagopal and Industries Minister P Rajeeve in a ceremony held in the Chief Minister’s conference hall on Thursday.

Balagopal said the setting up of a graphene innovation centre would be a boost to the industry in the southern state as new start-ups and SMEs could leverage the advantages of the extraordinary structural, thermal and electrical properties of graphene to innovate new products and services. Existing industrial organisations could also enhance the quality of their products and services exploring the possibilities of graphene, he said, adding that the state government has already pledged its commitment to initiate projects that could develop Kerala into a knowledge economy.

The Finance Minister also said that it was heartening to note that the implementation partners crafted a unique model where a university, a research organisation and a leading industry house came together to develop a high technology industrial eco-system. Industries Minister Rajeeve said that the graphene innovation centre offered tremendous opportunities to the industrial sector in the state and it would help strengthen the start-up eco-system and industry of the state. – PTI