Graphene: The Wonder Material of the 21st Century

Try and imagine a material so strong that your smartphone’s screen would be dramatically more durable, and yet flexible enough that it could be woven into your clothes. We’re not talking science fiction – this material does exist. It’s called graphene, and it’s thinner than a human hair, yet stronger than steel. In fact, a sheet of graphene as thin as cling film could support the weight of an elephant without breaking. The applications for this incredible material are diverse and groundbreaking, from revolutionizing electronics to potentially purifying water. We’re going to take a deeper look at this wonder stuff today and explore how it could become part of your everyday life sooner than you think. You won’t be an expert at it when you’re done here, but you’ll know enough about it to talk about it at a cocktail party.

What is Graphene?

Graphene has the same “daddy” as pencil lead and diamonds – carbon. But whereas pencil lead (graphite) and diamonds have a structure built from three-dimensional arrangements of carbon atoms, graphene’s structure is a single layer of carbon atoms, laid out in a hexagonal lattice pattern. To form a stack of graphene sheets only 1mm thick would require about three million layers of graphene. It’s also strong, stiff, thin, lightweight, almost transparent, and young (discovered only in 2004). It conducts electricity and heat extremely well. And here’s something pretty strange – carbon is not a metal, but graphene behaves a lot like metals do. One way that it doesn’t behave like a metal is in how it conducts electricity, and that has led some researchers to call it a “semimetal” or “semiconductor,” like silicon.   

How is Graphene Made?

There are several methods of producing graphene. The simplest method is called Mechanical Exfoliation, and it was how graphene was discovered. It involves taking a piece of cellophane tape, attaching it to the graphite tip of a pencil, and pulling it away. Then you take another piece of tape and stick it to the graphite that is stuck to the tape’s sticky side, and pull it away. You keep doing this until you have one single layer of carbon atoms. That’s the simplest method to describe, which is unfortunate, because it’s really only good for discovering graphene, you can’t use it to come up with enough graphene to do anything with. Some of the other methods have names like Chemical Vapor Deposition, Chemical Reaction of Graphene Oxide, Epitaxial Growth on Silicon Carbide, and Liquid Phase Exfoliation. Each of these processes produces a quantity and quality of graphene that is suitable for a different purpose, based on purity obtained and the size and form factor in which the graphene is produced. For example, one method produces great inks and coatings, and another can be produced directly onto semiconductor material. None are as easy as sticking a piece of tape to a pencil, and all are way beyond the scope of this post, but it may be something I want to explore later.

How Does Graphene Compare to Other Materials?

Steel is pretty strong, right? Graphene is stronger. A sheet of graphene is about 100 times stronger than a sheet of steel at the same thickness. We use copper every day even if we don’t realize it. Copper is in most of our wiring and electrical components, but graphene does the job better. Silicon is the current go-to for electronic components, but graphene dissipates heat better, which could open the door to smaller devices, with more power, and it can enhance solar power production. We love aluminum for it’s lightweight flexibility, but graphene does that better too, on both fronts, the weight and the flexibility.

What are some of the applications of graphene?

As I mentioned before, making electronic devices smaller and more powerful is part of the facility, but they’d also be faster and more efficient. We could see faster charging and more capacity in batteries. It’s not hard to imagine thinner, more flexible, and more durable device screens. Graphene is also being looked at for medical drug delivery systems and sensitive and accurate biosensors for diagnostics. The aerospace industry is testing its use for stronger and lighter aircraft and spacecraft. Graphene can be used for efficient water filtration, which can be promising for regions of the world that lack access to clean water. Additionally, researchers are exploring graphene’s uses in quantum computing, energy storage, smart textiles, and building materials.

So what’s keeping us from seeing these things today?

Several things, and the first thing is production challenges. It hasn’t been easy to find ways to scale up the production of graphene to industrial levels, and the current methods carry high costs. It’s also been hard to integrate graphene with the materials and systems currently in use. Incorporating graphene into production and application will require new techniques and equipment.

Another thing to consider is the environmental impact and sustainability. Because the material is so new, we really don’t know how use and production will affect us or the world around us. We need to be able to ascertain the long-term effect of graphene sourcing and manufacturing.

What do you see for the future of graphene?

This material, if it proves to be available and workable, promises to be a revolutionary substance in several fields. What makes you excited for graphene’s implementation? I’d love to wear a business suit that can sense if I’m overheated, dehydrated, or on the verge of a stroke. If it could manage to make me look 20 pounds thinner, so much the better. Drop a comment and let me know what you’d like to see.

Here are a few websites where you can learn some basics about Graphene.

How Graphene Is Made And How It Was Discovered | Tech Times

Graphene – A simple introduction – Explain that Stuff

Mass-Producing Graphene | American Scientist

Graphene is a proven supermaterial, but manufacturing the versatile form of carbon at usable scales remains a challenge (theconversation.com)

60 Uses and Applications of Graphene – Nanografi – Nanografi Nano Technology

Potential applications of graphene – Wikipedia

Graphene applications: what is graphene used for? | Graphene-Info