Vigon Technologies, a company specializing in microcrystal technology in the Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone (Hefei high-tech zone) in Anhui province, is now developing industrial applications for new materials such as graphene and carbon nanotubes. 

Its president, Lyu Peng, has been pursuing a PhD degree in condensed matter physics at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) since 2014. Lyu comes from Wenzhou, a city in Zhejiang province and began studying applied physics at Hefei University of Technology in 2006, where he obtained a master’s degree in microelectronics in 2010.

Lyu Peng, president of Vigon Technologies, a company specializing in microcrystal technology in the Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

At present, graphene is going into the critical period from laboratory successes to industrialization. Graphene has been used in combination with many other materials, but scientists hope to develop unique applications for it that other materials could never achieve. Early in 2013, Vigon Technologies, the first and only microcrystal technology company in China, settled down in the zone. 

“I participated in technology entrepreneurship training at Hefei National University Science Park in my undergraduate years, and I felt that graphene had great prospects of application at that time,” said Lyu. ”Angel Investment of the Hefei high-tech zone invested 3 million yuan ($436,694) for our company’s establishment, which was a great support for innovative enterprise, and helped the company enter industrial development and build the first production line of 300 tons of graphene per year.”

The company has had many industrial achievements. For example, in 2017 it developed a series of graphene products for infrared physiotherapy, and cooperated with Xiaomi MIUI Company. In 2018, it launched a production line of graphene transparent conducting film.

In Lyu’s view, the Hefei high-tech zone has accumulated rich innovative resources and gathered many outstanding enterprises, so that its environment of mass entrepreneurship and innovation attracts large numbers of talents. “We will engage in new material technology of graphene and carbon nanotubes to realize industrial applications, and continue to promote and expand the applications and industrialization of new material technology, striving to be the industrial leader,” said Lyu.

Lyu appreciates Hefei people’s hospitality and lives each day in the city with enthusiasm. He said that the USTC has cultivated so many talents and he was grateful to his alma mater. He hopes the university will keep accumulating and innovating, and have more achievements.