Research carried out in the last few years have led to the development of new smart and sustainable materials. That is the case with graphene, known as the "material of the future," because of its multiple applications in different sectors. It's a material with great potential, useful in many and very diverse processes, that range from the manufacture of smartphones to the construction of solar panels.
What is graphene?
Are graphite and graphene the same? This is a very common question, but there are differences between both:
Graphene is a material that is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon, one of the most important elements in nature and which we find in daily objects like the lead of a pencil.
Graphene stands out for being tough, flexible, light, and with a high resistance. It's calculated that this material is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
With these properties, graphene has applications in the energy, construction, health, and electronics sectors. For instance, magnetic graphene could transform this electronics industry by making devices more comfortable and accessible for everyone.
What characteristics and properties of graphene?
Among the diverse properties of graphene, the ones that stand out most are its high thermal and electrical conductivity, elasticity, toughness, lightness, and resistance. These characteristics could be of great use for innovation in different sectors and represent a real revolution. Let’s see some examples:
High conductivity
Through the use of graphene, the useful life of batteries could be increased by 10, as well as charging in less time, which translates into an autonomy improvement. It's only a matter of time before graphene replaces a large part of the lithium batteries currently in use.
Lightness
Graphene is also suitable for manufacturing batteries for drones, as these would be lighter and tougher. Let’s remember that these pieces that accumulate energy are some of the heaviest in technology and reducing their weight could be a great innovation. With the application of graphene, one of the greatest limitations that drones present today is minimized.
Transparency and flexibility
Graphene is a transparent material and absorbs very little light (only 2%). Thanks to that and its flexibility, flexible screens could be manufactured for all types of devices. Furthermore, graphene can be folded like cling film, so the chances of breakage are much lower. It could be applied in the manufacturing of cellphones, televisions, vehicles, etc.
High resistance
As well as being an excellent electric conductor, graphene is a very resistant material, so big advances in the lighting sector are expected. For example, graphene light bulbs could increase the useful life of each globe and consume less energy than the LED lights that we currently have.
Uses and applications of graphene
The scientific community is keeping its 'eyes' on graphene, as it could completely change the way we relate to technology. And not just that, it could also represent significant advances in different sectors.
Graphene in the energy sector
The use of graphene in the manufacturing of rechargeable batteries could be a great leap towards energy efficiency. This material would prevent devices overheating, so they would be tougher and lighter.
Applied to different materials in our homes, it could contribute to a better thermal regulation of the home and a saving in the air conditioning of spaces. For example, using paint with graphene.
Lastly, and with a much more ambitious outlook, it's believed that this innovation could be a turning point in the renewable energy sector as the use of this material could generate much more energy than is produced today.
Graphene in construction
The use of graphene applied to construction promises to improve the insulation of buildings. And not just that, but they could be more resistant to corrosion, dampness, and fire, and therefore tougher and more sustainable.
Construction materials would be perfected and eco-friendly components would be used, such as "green concrete," an eco-efficient material that is more sustainable and resistant than the current one.
How to care for the environment
Graphene in health
The applications of graphene in the health and medicine sectors are also fascinating. Thanks to the properties of graphene, stronger, more flexible, and lighter hearing aids could be developed. We could even be speaking about making bones and muscles that would be introduced through surgical operations.
Still in the research phase, it's believed that graphene oxide could be a good ally in the diagnosis of diseases and their subsequent treatment. This is an element that's obtained when graphene is oxidized, converting it into a material with extraordinary mechanical properties.
Graphene in electronics
The characteristics of graphene could change the electronics sector completely. With the application of this material, smaller, lighter, tougher, and more efficient devices could be manufactured, impossible to obtain with the components that are used today.
Furthermore, graphene applied to electronic circuits would make devices ‘immune’ to dampness, one of the main causes of deterioration. In addition, it has excellent thermal and electrical conductivity, which is 1,000 times better than that of copper.
