AIR passengers could soon be circumnavigating the globe in planes made with North-East technology.

Primary Dispersions is working on applying wonder material graphene to aircraft parts.

Bosses say tests are being carried out on graphene’s potential, which could see the substance used in resins to reduce wing weight and improve electrical and thermal parts.

Primary Dispersions is a spin out of the Centre for Process Innovation, and work to develop graphene is being carried out at its NetPark base, in Sedgefield, County Durham.

Bosses say initial results from the project, which includes Bombardier, B/E Aerospace and research and development body NetComposites, have been positive.

Steve Devine, CPI technology manager, said he hopes the endeavour will put the UK at the forefront of the aerospace sector.

He said: “The project doesn’t finish until next year but we have already experienced some extremely promising results.

“The final stages are to focus on the scale up of resins, which will allow the material to be used in the production of composite parts.

“The final achievements from this will truly give the UK a global competitive advantage, not only for the aerospace sector, but across other industries, such as automotive.”

Matthew Thornton, NetComposites’ project manager, added: “We’re excited by the potential shown and look forward to releasing further results early next year.”

Graphene, which is an incredibly light yet strong single layer of graphite, was first isolated at the University of Manchester in 2004, and has been hailed by experts as having numerous wonder features.

They include the potential to reinforce plastics, reduce friction in lubricants, and strengthen paints and coatings, allowing them to last longer on more hardwearing surfaces, such as ships’ hulls.

The North-East is playing a key role in the material’s development, with the CPI’s work matched by that of Applied Graphene Materials (AGM), in Wilton, near Redcar, and Thomas Swan and Co, in Consett, County Durham.

The Northern Echo previously revealed AGM’s graphene could be used in a household consumer brand’s invention in the next 12 months.

It is also working with Puraglobe to format versions of graphene for base oils in motor and hydraulic oils to ease friction, and is collaborating with fuel additive blender Millers Oils.

Family-owned Thomas Swan, which began life in 1926 converting steel industry slag waste into road surfacing, has scaled up its graphene plant to make more of the material and last month revealed new grades of the substance, which it says can be used in inks and plastics.