Why Graphene Will Take Over the World (Someday) - Henry Wang
Humanity has always used both artificial and natural materials to create tools and products we see today. Many famous examples are plastic, wood, steel, you name it. Ever since we began making tools we’ve seen the need to search for better and better materials to make them. So when two researchers discovered a material that could conduct electricity (extremely well), many times stronger than steel, flexible (sort of), but also insanely thin, the science community couldn’t believe their eyes. Had we just stumbled on something too good to be true? If so, why hasn’t it been widespread across the industry? Not only will this blog describe the power of graphene, it explains why it is so influential and will change our world for the better.
To start, what even is graphene? Graphene is a material that is the building block of graphite (the stuff gray stuff in your pencils) that is quite literally 2 dimensional, its thickness being a singular atom. The suffix “-ene” describes it as being the single layer of graphite, and is composed of conduction bands which allow it to be conductive. It is best described in the article “Graphene: Out of the Lab and Into the World” by Soliana Fikru, “Graphene is a single atom thick and has better conductivity and strength in that state rather than when it hasn’t been cut into layers yet, a.k.a. when it’s still graphite.” Being arranged in a hexagonal lattice (meaning the bonds are in hexagons) makes it unusually strong (about 200 times stronger than steel) but also literally an atom thin.
These qualities of the “wonder material” definitely confused professors Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov when they first isolated graphene at Manchester University in 2004. And although it was already known that graphite was constructed by graphene, the isolation of graphene resulted in both researchers being awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2010. The breakthrough lies in the properties of regular sticky tape. “The two scientists removed some flakes from a lump of bulk graphite with sticky tape… that were just one atom thick.” (Manchester University, “Discovery of Graphene”, Manchester University Graphene, https://www.graphene.manchester.ac.uk/learn/discovery-of-graphene/). However, this is one of many methods to isolate graphene from graphite, ranging from Liquid Phase Exfoliation, chemical vapor deposition, all the way to heating soybean oil with nickel foil. The issue with all the different procedures is that many do not create the same type of graphene, and that the consistency of those procedures matched with the not very friendly cost of producing results in a hard time for companies to integrate this magic material into their products.
Andre Geim (Left), Konstantin Novoselov (Right)
Even though graphene has its issues, the applications of it are widespread and could solve a plethora of issues, ranging from energy to electronics. Anyone somewhat aware of the shortage in semiconductors knows the damage it has done to the tech industry. Prices have fluctuated rapidly since the start of the pandemic and caused any company that deals with electronics to compromise, after all the semiconductor is what makes the chips. However, studies done by Manchester University show that graphene “could replace existing technology for computer chips… (and) graphene chips are much faster than existing ones made from silicon.” The conductibility of graphene “could dramatically increase the lifespan of a traditional lithium ion battery… hold more power for longer… and light (enough) that they could be stitched into clothing.”(Manchester University, “Energy”, Manchester University Graphene, https://www.graphene.manchester.ac.uk/learn/applications/energy/). These examples are only a few of the many applications graphene can solve for our changing world, and with it we could create cleaner (energy wise) and more efficient tools important for our development as a society. One can only ponder what future innovation of researchers all over the world can do for our civilization, propelling us forward into a new age, an age of (possibly) graphene.
These qualities of the “wonder material” definitely confused professors Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov when they first isolated graphene at Manchester University in 2004. And although it was already known that graphite was constructed by graphene, the isolation of graphene resulted in both researchers being awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2010. The breakthrough lies in the properties of regular sticky tape. “The two scientists removed some flakes from a lump of bulk graphite with sticky tape… that were just one atom thick.” (Manchester University, “Discovery of Graphene”, Manchester University Graphene, https://www.graphene.manchester.ac.uk/learn/discovery-of-graphene/). However, this is one of many methods to isolate graphene from graphite, ranging from Liquid Phase Exfoliation, chemical vapor deposition, all the way to heating soybean oil with nickel foil. The issue with all the different procedures is that many do not create the same type of graphene, and that the consistency of those procedures matched with the not very friendly cost of producing results in a hard time for companies to integrate this magic material into their products.
Andre Geim (Left), Konstantin Novoselov (Right)
Even though graphene has its issues, the applications of it are widespread and could solve a plethora of issues, ranging from energy to electronics. Anyone somewhat aware of the shortage in semiconductors knows the damage it has done to the tech industry. Prices have fluctuated rapidly since the start of the pandemic and caused any company that deals with electronics to compromise, after all the semiconductor is what makes the chips. However, studies done by Manchester University show that graphene “could replace existing technology for computer chips… (and) graphene chips are much faster than existing ones made from silicon.” The conductibility of graphene “could dramatically increase the lifespan of a traditional lithium ion battery… hold more power for longer… and light (enough) that they could be stitched into clothing.”(Manchester University, “Energy”, Manchester University Graphene, https://www.graphene.manchester.ac.uk/learn/applications/energy/). These examples are only a few of the many applications graphene can solve for our changing world, and with it we could create cleaner (energy wise) and more efficient tools important for our development as a society. One can only ponder what future innovation of researchers all over the world can do for our civilization, propelling us forward into a new age, an age of (possibly) graphene.
Hi Henry, this is a very real possibility. Although graphene has been increasingly used, I believe that graphene won't "take over the world". It may be widely used, but eventually scientists may find something better than graphene that takes it's place. It definitely has a lot of potential, though.
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