Partnership to bring together graphene and plastic electronics

A formal collaboration between Cambridge’s Graphene Centre, and the University spin-out company, Plastic Logic, has been announced.

Plastic Logic will work with Cambridge researchers on a specific programme which aims to exploit graphene, related two dimensional materials and hybrid systems in flexible, plastic electronics - a field in which the UK already enjoys a world-leading position.

Plastic Logic, founded in 2000, is a spin-off company from the University’s Cavendish Research Laboratory and develops and manufactures colour and monchrome plastic, flexible displays. The market for these devices is expected to be worth $40bn by 2020.

The Cambridge Graphene Centre was established earlier this year to capitalise on the University’s research into the material as well as a large class of related layered materials and hybrids. Graphene is a one atom-thick layer of graphite with remarkable potential to enable significant technological advances.

The research programme will investigate the development of graphene as a transparent, conductive layer within flexible displays, and of novel transistor structures using layered materials, which promise to significantly improve the performance of flexible electronics.

Indro Mukerjee, CEO of Plastic Logic, said: “I am delighted that Plastic Logic is working with the world-class team at the Cambridge Graphene Centre on this transformational research programme for the application of graphene in our flexible plastic electronics process. This will enable higher levels of customisation and drive a step change in technology performance, opening up new commercial applications, such as the huge potential market for large area distributed sensors.”