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Graphene light bulbs are coming this year

The first product made from the material graphene will go on sale later this year, a light bulb. The dimmable LED bulb will reportedly cut energy costs and should last longer than conventional lights, its creators said.

Developed at Manchester University, where graphene was first discovered in 2004, the light bulb will cost less than £15 and should be available within the next few months. It looks almost identical to a conventional light bulb but its filament is coated in a thin layer of graphene, helping it to conduct electricity more efficiently. Its makers said energy savings of 10% are possible, according to the BBC -- though against what that is measured is unclear. Other specifics about the bulb, including its luminosity and lifespan, and details about its efficiency and colour were not reported.

The bulb will be made Graphene Lighting, a Canadian-owned spin-off company from Manchester University. It looks set to become the first commercially available product made from graphene, which has until now only been found in research facilities and labs.

The university's National Graphene Institute (NGI) was opened earlier this month by chancellor George Osborne, who said it would put the UK "in pole position" to become a world-leader in graphene technology. Around 200 researchers will work in the facility, which covers over 7,800 square metres and five floors. The government has already invested £38m in the NGI, which will work on future uses of graphene.

More than 35 companies have partnered with the university to incorporate graphene into products, such as Head, a company that makes tennis rackets.

Medical researchers are also excited, because graphene could be used to make nanotechnologies, which could one day provide better cancer treatments, for example and a filter system could create safe drinking water from salt water.