Graphene is a dream material that could be used in a wide range of technologies, from transparent and thin touchscreens to strong body armor and high-efficiency solar cells. However, commercialization is still a long way off due to technical and economic limitations of mass production, but research is underway around the world to overcome them.
If you’re a fan of science fiction movies, it’s easy to imagine a futuristic human society with incredibly advanced technology. Do you remember seeing what kind of cell phones or laptops people use in science fiction movies? Of course, it varies from movie to movie and from person to person, but if you imagine a future laptop or cell phone, the answer is probably “transparent, paper-thin touchscreen”. Touchscreens are already widely used in the real world, but the innovations of these futuristic devices in the movies still mystify us.
So what is it that makes such a futuristic laptop, both design-wise and technologically, possible? The answer is graphene. Graphene is a “dream material” that has attracted the attention and love of many scientists and researchers. While the name may sound intimidating, it’s actually no different from the graphite in our everyday pencils. Graphite, the main material of pencil leads, is actually made of layers of graphene. So while graphene has always been around, its true potential has only recently been realized.
Graphene is a thin, wide plate of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal honeycomb and constantly connected. This unique structure gives graphene its thin yet strong properties, and in fact, graphene was first obtained by sticking a piece of household Scotch tape around the core of a pencil and peeling it off. The team of researchers who created the world’s first graphene by this playful method won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010. The discovery of graphene began with a very simple experiment, but its effects and applications are beyond imagination.
The electronic structure of graphene is also unique, thanks to the hexagonal arrangement of each atom. Three of the four bonds in a carbon atom form strong bonds, leaving one free electron. These free electrons are the key to what makes graphene a “dream material. Free electrons carry electricity much faster and more efficiently than traditional conductors like copper. This makes graphene very electrically conductive, which greatly opens up its possibilities in the electronics and semiconductor industries.
Graphene also moves electrons faster than silicon, an important component of semiconductors. While silicon-based technology has driven the modern electronics industry, the advent of graphene could lead to faster and more efficient semiconductor technology. Graphene is less than 0.2 nanometers thick, which is the thickness of a single carbon atom. Despite its thinness, graphene is extremely stable, and its strength is said to be much stronger than steel. In fact, graphene is said to be 200 times stronger than steel in terms of strength to thickness ratio.
This might make you think, “If it’s so strong, won’t it break?” But while graphene is durable, it’s also very elastic, meaning it can bend easily. And even after bending, it retains its original physical and chemical properties. This will be an important characteristic for creating flexible and lightweight electronics. For example, in the future, we may be able to use foldable cell phones or roll-up TV screens every day.
The benefits of graphene don’t end there. Its electrical properties are helping to develop ultrafast electronic devices. Furthermore, graphene’s ability to transmit light has led to new technological applications such as transparent displays and solar cells. In particular, graphene-based solar cells are attracting a lot of attention because they are more efficient than conventional silicon-based cells and can be manufactured at a lower cost. As solar power is gaining more attention as a future energy source, advances in graphene technology have the potential to revolutionize the energy industry.
As such, graphene has endless possibilities in various fields such as electronics, energy, and clothing. For example, using graphene in place of traditional Kevlar fibers for body armor could result in much lighter and stronger body armor. This could make a huge difference not only in the military, but also in the police and security sectors. In fact, graphene body armor has been the subject of a lot of research due to its superior performance.
However, this fascinating material does have its limitations. The biggest problem is the technical and economic difficulty of producing graphene in large quantities. High-quality graphene requires very sophisticated technology to produce, and the cost of doing so is enormous. If graphene is produced using cheaper methods, the quality of the graphene will be inferior and unable to fulfill its amazing properties. This is one of the challenges that must be addressed before graphene can be commercialized.
Fortunately, research to overcome these challenges is being conducted around the world. Numerous researchers are trying to mass-produce graphene and improve its quality, and some positive results have been reported recently. If these technical limitations can be overcome, graphene could completely reshape the electronics we use today. Hopefully, graphene will soon be commercially available, bringing us closer to the future we see in science fiction movies.
Graphene is not just for electronics and body armor; its applications are many and varied. For example, thanks to its excellent electrical conductivity, graphene is being explored for use in the medical field. Graphene-based biosensors allow for more precise and faster diagnostics, and attempts are being made to use graphene in drug discovery using nanotechnology. Research is also underway to utilize the strength and flexibility of graphene to develop the next generation of artificial muscles.
As you can see, graphene is being researched and invested in around the world because of its properties, and it will play an important role in every future technological breakthrough we can imagine.
