Graphene scientists in research revolt

SOME scientists at Manchester University working on graphene – the revolutionary material 200 times stronger than steel – are boycotting its top research facility because a company linked to China has been given access to confidential information.

The academics are worried that the National Graphene Institute, opened by Chancellor George Osborne last year, and one of the key elements of the Northern Powerhouse, does not have safeguards to protect their research.

According the The Sunday Times, the scientists are refusing to work at the £61m institution set up to find ways of exploiting the news material over a deal struck between the university management and BGT Materials.

They are concerned that the NGI, opened by Chancellor George Osborne last year, that BGT, controlled by Taiwanese business man Chung-Ping Lai, will result in unfair use of the information.

BGT says its work in Manchester has been successful and it is “offensive” and “untrue” to suggest it would unfairly use intellectual property, it is reported.

Meanwhile, the university says it is understandable that some scientists are cautious about the collaborative environment of the new institute.

One senior academic said the arrangement with BGT had caused the university’s graphene research to descend into “complete anarchy”, saying: “The NGI is a national facility, and why should we use it for a company which is not even an English owned company? How much intellectual property is staying in England and how much is going to Taiwan?”

The issue underlines fears that the UK has been slow to develop one of its greatest discoveries with almost 50% of graphene-related patents filed in China and just 1% in the UK.

Manchester signed a £5m collaboration deal with BGT in October 2013. Although the company is controlled by Lai, the university has a 17.5% shareholding.

It was claimed at the time the investment would attract a significant number of jobs to the city and benefit the UK economy.

However, the newspaper’s investigative team claims that only four jobs have been created as a result of the deal and BGT has not paid the full £5m due under the agreement after two projects were cancelled.

Simon Howell, the official formerly in charge of protecting the university’s confidential graphene technology, has raised concerns over whether there are adequate safeguards to stop BGT unfairly exploiting Manchester’s intellectual property.

Some issues raised by academics have been withdrawn or found to be without foundation, but the university is declining to comment on individual concerns.

Osborne was present at the opening of the NGI a year ago when he was shown a new graphene lightbulb by Sir Konstantin Novoselov, one of two Russian scientists who discovered the substance at Manchester University in 2004.

Weeks later, the university announced commercial production of the world’s first lightbulb. However, The Sunday Times said only 3% of the shares in the spin-off company are owned by the university.

The vast majority worth £22m are owned by Lai, the chief executive of BGT, who has since claimed it was his company, not the university, which invented the lightbulb.

Lai controls all the key patents and is said to be delighted with his joint venture. “I believe in luck, and I have had luck in Manchester,” he is quoted as saying.

The Sunday Times team claims to have seen the 22-page collaboration agreement with BGT which it says does not prevent the company, based at the university, from working with other research organisations or competitors in the field of graphene research.

In 2014, BGT struck a deal with Xiamen University in Fujian province and a Chinese manufacturing company, Power Booster, to investigate graphene technology related to “a new generation of LED lights, energy storage, graphene ink and large data storage.”, presenting a possible conflict of interest, but Lai has denied this.

No-one was available for comment at the university today.