Dr Andrea Ferrari said the technique could be used to create highly conductive electronics components such as transistors, photovoltaic devices, OLEDs and other displays.

Ferrari described the printing technique as "not new" meaning that there should be rapid potential applications. "The graphene ink produced should therefore be compatible with existing standard inkjet machines," he said.

The ink is created by separating graphene flakes from pieces of graphite suspended in a solvent using a sonic bath. After settling the sample is centrifuged to remove flakes larger than 1micron, which might clog an inkjet nozzle.

Graphene has been touted as a replacement for silicon because of its incredible strength and conductivity. Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, both at Manchester University, took the Nobel prize last year for their research on the material, which is one atom thick yet the strongest material known to man.

The government has also pledged some £50m to help projects attempting to commercialise its use through a variety of applications.