Durham University wins coveted innovation award

Times Higher Education Award highlights innovative spinout enterprise Durham University has won the coveted Times Higher Education award for Outstanding Contribution to Innovation and Technology for the development of a clean and scalable alternative for production of graphene - the "miracle" substance of nanotechnology. Graphene could be used in the aerospace industry, in solar cells, and even to replace batteries in next-generation vehicles and consumer electronics. But these ideas depend on the creation of a large-scale, sustainable and cost-effective production process. Karl Coleman, Professor of Chemistry and Nanomaterials, found the existing production methods to be costly, time-consuming and environmentally unfriendly. He opted instead to build graphene from the bottom up. When he pitched his discovery to Durham University Business and Innovation Services (DBIS), it immediately recognised the potential and the spin-off company Durham Graphene Science (DGS) was established in 2010. Two years on, DGS and Coleman are central to a market that is projected to be worth more than £400 million by 2020 and their contribution has been recognized throughout the industry.