October 5, 2010

expert reaction to the awarding of the Nobel Prize for Physics

The prize was won by Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov of the University of Manchester for their discovery of graphene.

Imran Khan, Director of the Campaign for Science and Engineering, said:

“The Nobel Prizes are a fantastic endorsement of British science – Geim and Novoselov are brilliant examples of foreign scientists who came to the UK because we’re a global research hub.

“But Geim and Novoselov could be last of their kind if the government presses ahead with its plans to slash investment in science and block talented non-EU migrants from coming here.”

Professor David Delpy, Chief Executive, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), said:

“This work represents an enormously important scientific development. An exciting new material that has a huge range of applications and will no doubt bring significant benefits to the UK economy. EPSRC has been supporting research by Professor Geim and his group for nearly 10 years and our latest grant has enabled the UK to retain the key academic and research staff behind this discovery, who might otherwise have been lost to foreign institutions.”

Dr Mark Miodownik, Head of the Materials Research Group, King’s College London, said:

“The award of this Nobel Prize will bring a smile to the face of every scientist because it shows you can still get a Nobel Prize by mucking about in a lab. Professors Geim and Novoselov happened across graphine, a new material that has the potential to revolutionise electronics, by discovering they could pluck atomic layers of carbon from the lead of a pencil using nothing more sophisticated than sticky tape. It turns out that anyone who has ever held a pencil could have discovered this amazing new material, but it was Professors Geim and Novoselov who took the time to look carefully. Bravo! Another reason to recognise that Bristish Science is a special culture, admired throughout the world for its originality and genius, and needs to be nurtured not cut by the government if they want to foster future technology and wealth in the UK.”

Professor Ton Peijs, Professor of Materials at Queen Mary, University of London, said:

“Graphene is a one-atom-thick planar sheet of carbon atoms that are densely packed in a honeycomb crystal lattice. It can be visualized as an atomic-scale chicken wire made of carbon atoms and their bonds.

“Applications are foreseen in areas of biomedical and gas sensors, transparent conducting materials for e.g. touch screens or flexible displays and as a reinforcement or conducting filler in composite materials. Similar to another important nanomaterial – carbon nanotubes – graphene is incredibly strong – around 200 times stronger than structural steel – but it may also form a stronger interaction when embedded in a polymer as the graphene sheet has considerably more contact area with the polymer material than the hollow carbon nanotubes.

“Graphene possesses a 2D platelet geometry compared to the 1D fibre geometry for nanotubes, which may have some benefits in terms of improved mechanical properties such as toughness of plastics, while they may also be more effective in improving electrical, barrier and flame retardant properties of plastics.

“Congratulations to the Prize winners Konstantin Novoselov and Andre Geim, the 8th Dutchman to win the Nobel Prize for Physics. He was born in Russia has the Dutch Nationality and worked before moving to Manchester at the Radbout University of Nijmegen.”

Dr Mark Baxendale, Reader in Nanotechnology at Queen Mary, University of London, said:

“Graphene is a single atomic layer of carbon atoms bound in a hexagonal network. The bonds between the carbon atoms are the strongest in nature and the free electrons are highly mobile; consequently graphene promises ultimate mechanical and electronic properties. Geim and Novoselov pioneered the techniques for isolation of single graphene layers and demonstrated the unique attributes of graphene with some outstanding experimental work.”

Prof Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester, said:

“”This is fantastic news. We are delighted that Andre and Konstantin’s work on graphene has been recognised at the very highest level by the 2010 Nobel Prize Committee.

“This is a wonderful example of a fundamental discovery based on scientific curiosity with major practical, social and economic benefits for society.”