CGRI Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Welcome to the Center for Graphene Research and Innovation (CGRI)
The mission of CGRI is to bring into focus research in graphene and other low-dimensional materials by creating an industry-university consortium centered at the University of Mississippi with the goals of stimulating the regional and national economy and increasing global competitiveness. One of the goals of the center is to attract startup and technology companies to the region, accelerating economic development in Mississippi and the South.
Why Graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms that are bonded together in a repeating hexagonal pattern. It is one million times thinner than a single piece of paper. Despite only gaining widespread commercial application in the last decade, crystalline graphene has quickly established a reputation as a “wonder material.” The assortment of a large number of desired properties in one simple form of material yields extremely high electron mobility, highest surface area compared to any other material, extremely high thermal conductivity, flexibility, and optical transparency, which have made graphene a prime candidate for use in numerous industries and started a new era in the field of advanced materials.
Team
Who we are
The Center for Graphene Research and Innovation (CGRI) is a translational science center that bridges fundamental science and industry applications. We hope to bring Mississippi and the South to the forefront of this innovative research field and to boost the state economy by researching solutions to relevant issues, developing products, and supporting companies (including spin-offs and start-ups) with high-quality analytical expertise. As the only graphene center in the Nation, the CGRI is home to one-of-a-kind Graphene Core Testing Facility. This state of the art, multimillion-dollar facility is unique in Mississippi and the region and supports the characterization and standardization of graphene and graphene-like materials. To complement this facility, the CGRI maintains a strong national and international presence by being an active member of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/TAG, International Standards Organization (ISO)/Technical Committee 229 for Nanotechnologies. The CGRI is currently collaborating with 17 University of Mississippi faculty, three Jackson State University faculty, and 4 University of Southern Mississippi faculty. Currently CGRI has four Research Scientists, and we support more than a dozen graduate students and 15 undergraduate students. The CGRI is engaging with 12 companies through non-disclosure agreements and has built a working relationship with the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA). Research at CGRI has resulted in one product on the market and the submission of one patent with a few more under development.
Research
What we do
During the past three years, CGRI has been working on a number of engineering systems with funding from ERDC, NIST, DOE, NASA, and DHS, and we are currently working on a wide range of applications utilizing frontier materials ranging from nanocomposites to graphene (the subject of Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010) to quantum dots (the subject of Nobel Prize in Physics in 2023). Examples of these applications include: 1) enhancing cement and asphalt with graphene to create resilient and sustainable infrastructure, 2) supporting the development of graphene-enabled technologies for both force protection and force projection, 3) purifying water with graphene-based water treatment systems with a focus on various pollutants, including per and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), 4) developing multifunctional materials for protection against kinetic and non-kinetic attacks, such as electromagnetic interference shielding and lasers, 5) increasing the energy efficiency of microelectronics with the heterogeneous integration of 2D and 3D materials, 6) improving the Nation’s levee systems with advanced materials, and 7) advancing the Nation’s space agenda by developing technologies like lunar launch pads and durable nano-enhanced polymers.
News & Articles
CGRI attended the XPANSE 2024, the world's first forum for developing a vision of the future with exponential technologies, from November, 20-22 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Our own director, Dr. Al-Ostaz, participated in a panel on Exponential Materials, and Dr. Nouranian, Center's Associate Director for Research, served in a panel of judges for 45 science pitches. Dr. Majdoub, Research Scientist at the CGRI, accompanied the team in leading the science discussions with our partners and potential global collaborators.
CGRI ribbon cutting event on October 18, 2024: https://olemiss.edu/news/2024/10/graphene-research-center-opening/index.html
