China to establish graphene industry group

BEIJING, May 26 (Xinhua) -- China International Graphene Industry Union will be established in September this year.

The non-governmental organization will be a platform for international and domestic cooperation among businesses, researchers and financial institutions, the union's first Chairman Zhang Jingan told a preparatory meeting on Thursday.

The association will set evaluation and quality standards for the industry and lay the foundation for research and business development, and help commercialize research findings, Zhang said.

Graphene, a thin layer of carbon atoms in a honeycomb lattice, is known for its unusual electrical, chemical and mechanical properties.

China is one of the most graphite-rich countries and a leader in the industrialization of graphene. It is viewed by China's central authorities as a key material in the national innovation-driven development strategy.