UK team targets graphene ink for smart tires

Brighton, UK – Private company Advanced Material Development has provided £1 million (€1.1 million) in funding to support research at the University of Sussex (UoS) aimed at finding new applications for nanomaterials.

Target areas for the university team led by prof Alan Dalton include the development of graphene inks that can be incorporated into smart tires, the university announced 19 March.

According to the statement, the graphene ink would be flexible and conductive enough to be printed onto passenger car tires, and able to inform drivers about the condition of tires. 

The university added that it is already working with an un-named German automotive company on the smart tire technology – working in collaboration with AMD.

“The funding we’ve received from AMD means that we can push forward with our research into useful applications for nanomaterials like graphene,” said prof Dalton. 

“Whether that’s to develop wearable technology to remotely track babies’ heartbeats, or to print ink onto car tyres which can monitor the tires and warn the driver about problems, the potential applications of these materials are vast,” he added.

Based at the Sussex Innovation Centre, AMD was established in 2017 to develop applications for graphene technology from prof Dalton’s laboratory.  

The funding is split over two years and covers four post-doctorate researchers and various students who will primarily produce nanomaterial inks. 

This is the second grant that the research facility has received from AMD, following a £600,000 provision in autumn 2018.