North Gyeongsang moves to commercialize graphene technology

North Gyeongsang Province and the city of Pohang are intensifying efforts to commercialize graphene technology through collaboration among industry, academia, research institutes, and government entities. On the 14th, the province hosted the launch ceremony for the K-Graphene Commercialization Council at the Nano Convergence Technology Institute of POSTECH, with participation from various stakeholders.

Graphene is renowned for its exceptional electrical and thermal properties, making it suitable for applications in semiconductors, heat-dissipation materials, and transparent electrodes. However, companies require facilities for process validation, testing, and certification to transition research into commercial products and mass production.

The council aims to bridge the gap between technology and commercialization by uniting the capabilities of industry, academia, research institutes, and government. This initiative seeks to overcome commercialization challenges and assist companies in product development and commercialization.

During the ceremony, plans for a K-Graphene contract manufacturing facility were unveiled. This facility, a collaborative effort by the province, the city, and POSTECH, will provide space for graphene research organizations and companies. It will utilize existing facilities and equipment at the institute to support prototype production, process validation, testing, and certification.

The facility is designed as a public support center specializing in graphene, addressing the challenges companies face in securing mass-production equipment and validation environments. In June, the province was selected for a Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy competition, focusing on building AI-based validation infrastructure for materials and components using graphene and two-dimensional nanomaterials.

By 2030, an investment of 14.7 billion won will be made to install large-scale graphene mass-production and analysis equipment at the institute, supporting AI-based manufacturing processes and the development of application component technologies. "With the council at the center, we will integrate Pohang's research capabilities and advanced infrastructure to gradually build an industrial ecosystem from validation of graphene materials and components to product development and commercialization," stated Yang Kum-hee, vice governor for economic affairs of North Gyeongsang Province.