The use of graphene is leading to an unprecedented technological revolution. It is beginning to be used in all kinds of sectors, not only in technology, but also in sectors such as construction, food or textiles. Its miraculous properties make it suitable for almost all uses and it is stronger than diamond, more conductive than copper and more flexible than rubber.
The applications and uses that can be attributed to graphene imply a higher cost than using other types of materials, this is one of the reasons, among others, why its development is slow and it is not yet available to everyone.
Graphene is a material composed of pure carbon and its atoms are organized in a hexagonal pattern very similar to the pattern of graphite. Graphene is very fashionable, but as early as 1930 people were talking about it. We owe its discovery to doctors Konstantin Novoselov and Andre Geim in 2004 and, currently, it is believed that in the next decade it will replace such relevant materials as silicon.
Projects around graphene
Its high qualities of electrical and thermal conductivity that make it have great potential in optical and electrical functions make graphene the protagonist of many projects that could revolutionize the world as we know it.
Spatial applications
Through various experiments, the conditions of graphene have been evaluated to develop devices composed of this material and use them in space. An example of this is the Graphene Flagship project carried out by the European Space Agency (ESA). This project aims to create a fleet of light-powered space vehicles to reach the Alpha Centauri star system in less than 20 years after takeoff.
Sustainability
The use of graphene aims to join the global goal of reducing the carbon footprint. The Tetra Pak company is trying to replace the current materials with which packaging is made with graphene. This application would increase the recycling capacity of packaging. The idea is to create smart packaging with the help of graphene and revolutionize the food and beverage industry.
Roads
In the United Kingdom they have found another use for it: asphalt for roads. The road between the cities of Newton on the Moor and West Crawledge, on the A1 road, is going to be coated with graphene in order to extend its useful life. Graeme Watt, head of National Higways, assures that the tests they have carried out adding graphene to asphalt have been successful and they hope to finish the process in early November.
Fashionable among the wealthiest
This versatile material has aroused interest among the wealthiest population in the world and is that graphene clothing for millionaires is already a reality. A team of scientists from the National Graphene Institute at the University of Manchester is working on a garment prototype to demonstrate the dynamic control of thermal radiation within a garment.
The Vollebak company launched one of the first graphene-based garments with a price tag of $ 700. A fairly simple jacket in design if it weren’t for the peculiarities that graphene brings to the fabric. The graphene layer that this garment wears distributes body heat in a uniform way as well as providing breathability. Surely on the market there are garments more expensive than this jacket, but here what you pay is the exclusivity of having a garment made with the material of the future.
Able to repel mosquitoes
Another application of graphene in the textile world that is being studied is the possibility of graphene-based films serving as repellent and protection against mosquito bites. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) are investigating this issue with a globally important species of mosquito, Aedes aegypti. The results show that dry-state graphene or graphene oxide nano-foil films are highly effective in suppressing mosquito-biting behavior on human skin.
Although it is a material that is in fashion, not all its uses are positive. Some scientists have been able to show that depending on how the material is treated, it can become harmful to health or that when it comes into contact with water it can contaminate it. In addition to the high cost involved in its manufacture and handling.
