Graphene: the new material that’s going to revolutionize technology

It’s the fashionable material, one of those discoveries that rarely happen in science, some say. Its vast properties promise to leave a new generation of electronic devices tens of times faster, small or even foldable, in 2004 two Russian physicists from the University of Manchester: Andre Geim and Kostantin Novoselov, experimentally isolated the first two-dimensional material: graphene. As a result, they received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010. This discovery generated a scientific revolution in the search for new materials in 2-dimensions with physical properties similar to or greater than those of graphene.

Graphene the material of the future

Graphene is considered the material of the future due to its exceptional physical properties that allow it unlimited applications in the various areas of the industry. It has a hexagonal structure, very similar to the lattice used of a fence. Its thickness is the size of an atom, which makes it very thin, 1,000,000 times thinner than human hair!. Just by observing its main characteristics it is clear that we are talking about a material that lends itself to all kinds of innovations, allowing a very complete management thanks to which it can be adapted to a multitude of needs and circumstances which means that of course it will be lent to a multitude of applications.

It should be noted that graphene is 100 times harder than steel, while it is flexible, elastic, transparent, has a great thermal and electrical conductivity. Is lighter than carbon fiber and more flexible at the same time, they heat up less when driving electrons, consume less electricity than silicon to perform the same task. Has the ability to generate electricity when it is reached by light, has the ability to self-repair in the event that its structure is broken and even in an oxidized state absorbs radioactive residues.

Main applications of graphene in the field of technology

A good example is high-speed cables, super electric batteries, flexible touch screens, professional headphones and speakers, and cameras that allow you up to 1000 times more sensitivity.

A transparent and flexible man-machine interface with force-touch for robotic surgery and prosthetics demonstrated a technology that can transform the way we interact with mobile phones and portable devices: opening up new ways to control our digital devices.

Touch-forced interfaces

Using graphene for technology enables force sensors in a transparent and flexible film format, combining the flexibility, transparency and conductivity of graphene polymer films. The flexibility of touch-forced interfaces will enable a new design paradigm for electronic devices. This technology can be used as an electronic mask, which would allow any surface to respond to your environment, for applications in prosthetics, robotic surgery, games, digital music and many other applications on the Internet of Things and industry 4.0.

Quality of audio

Graphene improves the audio quality of treble and bass, its technology improves the quality of audio reception for mobile phones, thanks to an improved diaphragm that is thinner and more flexible than traditional materials.

Industries

From graphite to graphene for aerospace batteries and composite panels, know-how on technology in advanced materials will enable stronger. Lighter and more functional graphene and graphite products for the global battery, coating, construction and composite industries. Many industries use graphene and other graphite products to develop better anodes and cathodes of lithium-ion batteries with faster charging, higher power, safer performance at low temperature, and corrosion protection of current collectors. Surprisingly, conductive graphene compounds provide huge advantages for the aerospace industry.

Filtration and decontamination

An example is water filtration and decontamination. Graphene as a two-dimensional material of crystalline structure is positioned as an ideal component for the construction of membranes that serve to filter the waters, eliminating from it all the particles in suspension and thus facilitating their reuse. Either in industrial processes where necessary, for irrigation of crops or, going through the appropriate sanitary procedures, for human consumption, It is even considering its use with the aim of desalinating water.

Shielding

It can be said, without a doubt, that graphene is the hardest material in the world. If a car is placed on top of a sheet of graphene, it would not be able to cross it.

Personal armor

Its appearance may seem fragile and delicate since at first glance graphene is like a transparent and flexible fabric. However, it is an extremely resistant material; more so, graphene is the strongest and strongest material in the world. With a single gram of graphene, an entire football field could be covered with a thin, fully transparent film of a virtually impenetrable material. All these features make it ideal for building elements of protection of the human body against external attacks. In the same way as the Kevlar, revolutionized the “bulletproof vests” industry, graphene could open the door for personal armor.

Among the most outstanding properties of graphene we can highlight the following:

• It is transparent.
• It’s very flexible
• Self-cooling.
• High thermal and electrical conductivity.
• High elasticity and hardness. High hardness: 200 times greater than steel, almost equal to diamond.
• Chemical reaction with other substances to produce compounds of different properties.
• Ionizing radiation support.
• Great lightness, like carbon fiber, but more flexible.
• Less Joule effect: it heats up less when driving electrons.
• For the same task as silicon, lower electricity consumption.
• Electricity generation when reached by light.
• Very high Surface/Volume Reason, which gives you a good future in the super-condemners market.
• It can be doped by introducing impurities to change its primal behavior in such a way that it can be done that it does not repel water or even further improve conductivity.
• When a graphene sheet receives some damage that breaks its structure by producing a hole it manages to attract carbon atoms located in the vicinity to repair the gaps (self-repairing).
• Possible future use in condoms.
• In its oxidized form it absorbs radioactive residues.