GRAPHENE SQUARE

[Nature Outlook] Sponsor introduction

POSCO is the global leading steel company with a presence in more than 20 countries. The company headquartered in Pohang, South Korea, was established in 1968. In 2011, the company earned KRW 4.20 trillion in operating income on sales of KRW 39.17 trillion.

Low-carbon green growth is a key paradigm for enabling humankind to achieve sustainable development. Steelmaking is an energy-intensive industry, while it provides the iron and steel necessary to build a sustainable society. We recognize that the paradigm shift to low-carbon green growth could be a risk for our business. So as to turn this risk into opportunity, POSCO has been trying to expand our business beyond the steel. The company has set out a vision of the total material provider which develops and produces second battery materials (Lithium, Carbon), light-weight materials (Magnesium, Titanium), and advanced materials (Graphene).

POSCO believes that Graphene would be one of the most promising future materials with a wide range of applications from battery materials to composite. We are developing technologies for manufacturing graphene from kish-graphite which is a by-product of the steelmaking process. These technologies will enable POSCO to provide graphene at a low price, leading to the commercialization of graphene.

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LG Electronics, Inc. (KSE: 066570.KS) is a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, mobile communications and home appliances, employing more than 93,000 people working in over 120 operations around the world. With 2011 global sales of KRW 54.26 trillion (USD 48.97 billion), LG comprises four business units - Home Entertainment, Mobile Communications, Home Appliance, and Air Conditioning & Energy Solutions. LG is one of the world's leading producers of flat panel TVs, mobile devices, air conditioners, washing machines and refrigerators. For more information, please visit www.LGnewsroom.com.

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Graphene Square, Inc. (http://www.graphenesquare.com) is a pioneer in the commercialization of graphene material and graphene films for use as a transparent conductor and in other electronics applications. Recently established as a spin-off of the research of Prof. Byung Hee Hong at Seoul National University (http://www.graphene.re.kr) and with headquarters in Seoul, Korea, Graphene Square currently markets products in three different areas.

1. Using state-of-the-art chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods developed in-house, Graphene Square offers the highest quality graphene samples currently on the market. In addition to the standard samples available online, Graphene Square can also fabricate custom samples and end-equipment prototypes tailored to the customer's own specification.

2. For researchers who want to synthesize their own graphene samples, Graphene Square markets a low-cost thermal CVD system that allows the users to easily begin synthesizing their own large-area, high-quality graphene samples in a lab environment. Graphene Square also provides training seminars covering the current best practices for graphene growth and transfer. Graphene Square can also build custom CVD systems to the customer's own specification.

3. Graphene Square provides general consulting services and also licenses technology from its extensive patent portfolio. Areas covered include: graphene synthesis, transfer to various substrates, patterning of graphene, other mass production techniques, and future applications.

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