What if graphene is the thing

WHAT IS GRAPHENE?

Graphene is extracted from graphite, which is composed of carbon atoms. In 2004 scientists Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, using ordinary tape, were able to separate the graphite, layer by layer, until only a single layer of carbon atoms remained. The properties of the carbon atom, in combination with the physical effects that arise in the layer, give rise to a number of unique features:

THIN:

Graphene is the world’s first two-dimensional material. It is what gives graphene its other properties. Thanks to this discovery, it has been possible to create other materials with only one layer of atoms, e.g. boron nitride. As things stand, two- to three-atom thick layer graphite is also called graphene, even though it lacks many of the features found in “real” graphene with only one atomic layer.

LIGHT:

With only one layer of carbon atoms, graphene weighs only 0.77 mg per square meter.

STRONG:

Bonds between carbon atoms are intrinsically strong. When force is distributed in only one layer, one of the strongest known materials is created; 200 times stronger than steel.

HARD:

Graphene is twice as hard as diamond, and does not allow gas, liquid or solid substances to penetrate.

TRANSPARENT:

The almost completely transparent surface makes graphene usable in example touch displays. Graphene can also be mixed with polymers to create new properties.

GOOD CONDUCTIVITY:

Graphene leads both heat and electricity significantly more effective than both copper and silicon.

FLEXIBLE:

In combination with its other features, it provides new opportunities for medical use and flexible electronics.

What if... it was possible to build large ships that were lightweight, durable and energy efficient. If we had ship hulls and propellers that were resistant to corrosion, fouling and wear. What if... there was a material that was 200 times stronger than steel, lighter than air, clear - and only one atomic layer thin. What if... this material already exists and will change the world forever!

You have probably read about and been fascinated by it: graphene, the nano material, which is predicted to solve a series of challenges across many different industries. The graphene research was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010 and has since led to a host of new opportunities that are just waiting to be realized by the industry.

The innovation program SIO Grafen, which is operated by Chalmers Industrial Technology helps companies develop business opportunities with the help of graphene.
“The program’s vision is for Sweden to become one of the world’s top ten countries in exploiting graphene”, says Helena Theander, program director of SIO Grafen. It may be some time before ships built of graphene become a reality. In the current situation there are not many products on the market at all. Perhaps the best-known application is the tennis racquet used by the likes of Maria Sharapova and Novak Djokovic, where flakes of graphene have been mixed into a composite material, to achieve as low a weight as possible in the central part, without losing stability. The next major product area we may see in our everyday life is probably super-thin and bendable displays, or hypersensitive sensors, where intensive development is ongoing.
“Because graphene has both extremely good conductivity and is only one atomic layer thin, it is possible to create sensors that can measure extremely small amounts of gas, for example”, says Helena Theander.

What applications can you think of in the marine industry?
“Most likely, most of the industries will be able to benefit from the advantages of the material. If you mix graphene with polymers you can produce strong, lightweight materials that will not rust. That type of material is highly interesting for the wind power and aerospace industry, and should also be applicable for ship hulls or propeller blades. It would be interesting to investigate if a graphene paint could reduce fouling”, says Helena Theander. “It is impossible to predict how wide- spread the use of graphene will be in general; it is comparable to when plastic came. Twenty years from now we might say: ‘Remember how everything was impractical before graphene existed?”

To learn more about graphene:
www.siografen.se
http://graphene-flagship.eu/