Graphene

Graphene is a carbon-based material which is a single layer of graphite. It has a similar bonding structure to carbon nanotubes and fullerenes. They are excellent conductors of heat and electricity and are about 100 times stronger than steel. A thin sheet of graphene is almost transparent, making it an extremely strong substitute for glass.

Graphene’s discoverers, Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010.

Other uses for graphene include electronics, biological engineering, filtration, lightweight/strong composite materials, photovoltaics, energy storage, paints and coatings, lubricants, oils and functional fluids, capacitors and batteries, thermal management applications, display materials and packaging.

Applications include:


 * nanocoils
 * nanoribbons
 * quantum dots
 * carbon fiber
 * aerogel
 * solar cells
 * light-emitting diodes (LED)
 * replacing silicon in high-performance electronic devices
 * touch panels, smart windows and touch screens on phones
 * due to heat-resistance up to 3000 °C, used in reentry shields for missile nosecones, solid rocket engines, high temperature reactors, brake shoes and electric motor brushes.
 * tennis racquets
 * graphene-infused printer powder and 3D printer materials