Graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb lattice, is often hailed as a wonder material. It was first isolated in 2004 by Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov at the University of Manchester. Graphene is essentially a single layer of the more well-known material, graphite. If you have a pencil and some Scotch tape lying around, you could extract some graphene too! Graphene is being heavily researched because it boasts an extraordinary combination of properties.
Graphene is an incredibly strong material—the strongest known to mankind. It has a tensile strength 200 times that of steel, yet it is remarkably flexible and bendable. It exhibits all this strength while being extremely lightweight. It is also virtually transparent. Its physical attributes make it ideal for creating things that were once deemed unfathomable. An elevator to the moon? Bulletproof clothing? Extremely flexible displays? Graphene can do it all without breaking a sweat.
The electrical conductivity of graphene is very high due to the presence of delocalized electrons in its structure. In fact, its electrical conductivity is so impressive that it even puts copper to shame. Since graphene is made of carbon, a non-metal, it could be considered a metalloid. It could potentially replace silicon in the microchip industry, leading to more power-efficient processors. Graphene could be a game-changer for batteries. Owing to the fact that it is incredibly thin—only one atom thick—it could provide a large surface area. Batteries made from graphene could have much higher capacities, increased charging speeds, longer lifespans, and more. For instance, if the battery in your smartphone were made of graphene, it could fully recharge in just a few minutes. Another impressive feat of graphene is its ability to conduct heat extremely well, about 3-5 times better than its fellow carbon allotropes—diamond and graphite. Paired with its electrical conductivity, it’s a no-brainer for use in computer parts.
If graphene is so impressive, why hasn’t it taken over the world yet? Well, being a relatively new material, graphene is quite expensive to produce. Maintaining consistent properties across large-scale production is also challenging. Moreover, graphene might have compatibility issues with other materials. Despite these challenges, progress is being made. It seems just a matter of time before we see more widespread adoption of such an amazing material.
written by Fardeen Islam
