Graphene is a thin, two-dimensional structure made of carbon atoms that is 200 times stronger than steel, electrically conductive, flexible and transparent. It can be used in a variety of fields, including semiconductors, batteries, medicine, and electronics, but it is expected to be commercialised only after overcoming the limitations of mass production.

Graphene, the new material of dreams, the realisation of science fiction

Mr 00 wakes up to the sound of a thin display. The display tells him his schedule for the day, as well as the weather for the day. He doesn’t have to worry about getting to work, as the display also acts as a navigation system. When he arrives at work, he bends the display and wraps it around his arm. The smart display not only acts as a watch, but also monitors his health. Her boyfriend calls her on the display and tells her to wait for him at the coffee shop, as he’ll be there any minute. She unfolds the display, which she wears like a watch, and watches a film to pass the time.
Scenes like this, once only seen in science fiction films, are now becoming a reality. The key technology that makes this possible is graphene, which is being touted as the next big thing, surpassing traditional materials in a range of properties including electrical conductivity, strength, and flexibility.

What is graphene?

So what exactly is graphene, and what properties does it possess that could enable such revolutionary technologies? Graphene is a material with a two-dimensional, planar structure of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb-like arrangement. It is already showing promise in semiconductors, displays, and super-strong fibres. Graphene is a thin, nanometre (10-⁹m) film of carbon, which is the basic structural unit of graphite. Graphite is made up of multiple layers of graphene, and when you separate them to get a single layer, you get graphene.
Scientists have made several attempts to extract graphene from graphite since its existence was theoretically discovered in 1947, but have been unsuccessful for a long time. However, in 2004, Professor Andre Geim and Dr Konstantin Novoselov from the University of Manchester, UK, successfully isolated graphene using a simple method. Their method involved sticking pieces of graphite together with Scotch tape and repeatedly peeling them apart to obtain graphene. For their work, the two scientists were awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Properties of graphene

Graphene can be used in many industries thanks to its unique physical and chemical properties. In particular, it is a very good conductor of electricity, even better than metals. While metals are generally better conductors of electricity than non-metals, graphene is an excellent conductor despite being a non-metal thanks to its special bonding structure between carbons.
When an electric current flows, it means that electrons within the material are moving. In graphene, the bonds between carbon atoms are made up of σ (sigma) bonds and π (pi) bonds. While σ bonds are strong bonds and make it difficult for electrons to move, electrons in π bonds can move freely, making them more electrically conductive. In graphene, these π bonds span the entire structure, forming large orbitals that allow electrons to move freely throughout.
Graphene is also remarkable for its strength. Although it’s only 0.35 nanometres (nm) thick, its strength is 200 times stronger than steel. It also has excellent thermal conductivity, more than twice that of diamond, which offers great promise for solving heat dissipation problems in advanced electronics. In addition, graphene is flexible and transparent, making it an ideal material for a variety of electronic displays and wearable devices.

Applications of graphene

The possibilities for graphene are endless. Most notably, its application in the semiconductor industry is heralded as a breakthrough that could replace traditional silicon. Its thin and flexible properties are expected to play a key role in the development of technologies such as foldable displays, wearable computers, and transparent electrodes.
Graphene could also play an important role in energy storage, particularly in electric vehicle batteries and portable electronics, where its potential to extend battery life and reduce charging times is being explored, as its high conductivity and thermal conductivity could significantly improve energy efficiency.
Graphene is also attracting a lot of attention in the life sciences. Thanks to its strong physical properties and biocompatibility, it can be applied to medical technologies such as artificial organs and biosensors, and is expected to play a revolutionary role in drug delivery systems.

Limitations of graphene applications

However, despite its outstanding properties, graphene still faces several challenges in commercial production and applications. Carbon nanotubes, which are similar to graphene, received tremendous attention early on, but difficulties in mass synthesising them in the desired size and shape delayed their commercialisation. Graphene is also difficult to mass produce and control quality with current technology.
However, research is underway around the world to solve these problems, and the development of various technologies, especially chemical vapour deposition (CVD), is raising hopes for the possibility of large-scale production of graphene. Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea has also recently developed a high-performance graphene transparent electrode, which is a step forward in the commercialisation of graphene.

Conclusion

Graphene is one of the most promising new materials discovered to date, and is seen by many researchers as an important material that could revolutionise future industries. Although there are still technological limitations that need to be overcome before graphene can reach commercialisation, thanks to the efforts of scientists and various technological advances, the practical use of graphene is not far away. In the future, we will see graphene in the real world, not in science fiction, with next-generation technologies that are thinner, stronger, and more flexible.