Graphene is currently the thinnest and hardest nanomaterial in the world. This feature has aroused great interest of researchers. Its main properties and preparation methods have been repeatedly discussed and verified by many scientists and scholars. In addition, it has excellent electrical, thermal and optical properties, and has many potential applications in various fields such as batteries, sensors, solar panels, and electronic products.
The industry is very concerned about the commercial situation of graphene, which is one of its biggest challenges and the focus of discussion in the industry. At present, there are dozens of graphene manufacturers in the world. Although the output is relatively low and the cost is high, we have already seen some commercial applications of graphene. In the future, as its output increases and prices decrease, graphene is expected to be used in more and more fields.
Graphene battery
New energy batteries are the first important commercial field of graphene. Earlier, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States has successfully developed flexible photovoltaic panels with graphene nano-coatings on the surface, which can greatly reduce the cost of manufacturing transparent and deformable solar cells, which can be used in night vision goggles, cameras and other small Application in digital equipment. The successful development of graphene super batteries has solved the problems of insufficient capacity and long charging time of new energy vehicle batteries, and has greatly accelerated the development of the new energy battery industry. This series of research results paved the way for the application of graphene in the new energy battery industry.
In addition, some researchers have confirmed that they have prepared a lithium-ion battery made of graphene and silicon. The battery can be used for a week on a single charge and can be fully charged in only 15 minutes. Huawei has also released its research on graphene-based lithium-ion batteries, which have higher heat resistance and have twice the life span of traditional lithium-ion batteries.
Graphene composite
By adding some graphene to the surface of the material, and other process aids, the performance and function of the polymer system can be improved. Adding a small amount of graphene can double the stiffness and strength of epoxy resin, and the compression performance of carbon fiber reinforced system is significantly improved, which is expected to provide a new generation of stronger polymers for aerospace, high-performance automobiles, wind energy and sports applications And composite materials.
Some researchers added carbon nanotube graphene to an epoxy resin composite and coated it on the leading edge of a helicopter rotor blade, which can melt a 1 cm (0.4 inch) thick layer of ice under certain conditions.
International wheel manufacturer Vittoria sells bicycle wheels made of graphene-reinforced composite materials. Graphene can provide wheels with advantages such as heat dissipation (15-30°C lower) and increased lateral stiffness (over 50%). Applied Graphene Materials announced that it has provided graphene materials for the production of fishing rods made by Century Composites in the UK. HEAD also launched a graphene-enhanced ski for women, named Joy, which is intended to be lightweight and durable.
Graphene sensor
Graphene has been greatly developed in sensor applications due to its unique characteristics (including large volume ratio, unique optical characteristics, and excellent electrical characteristics). For example, it has been applied to the diagnosis of glucose, cholesterol, hemoglobin and cancer cells. At the same time, it can also be used as a pH sensor to detect pollutants. Because graphene-based pressure sensors have a small footprint and light weight, they are also particularly attractive to the aviation industry.
Graphene does not oxidize in air or biological fluids. By applying biological capture molecules and barrier layers to graphene, and then controlling the voltage difference between the graphene and the liquid of the biological test sample, the graphene circuit can be configured as a field effect biological sensor. Among the various types of graphene sensor types, the biosensor is the first commercially available sensor.
Medical treatment
In the medical field, graphene is expected to be used as a drug delivery platform to treat cancer, and it may also be used as an enhancer in tissue engineering. But these are unlikely to enter the market in the near future, and speeding up their commercial promotion has become a hot topic. · Tissue engineering: Graphene is used as an enhancer in tissue engineering to improve the mechanical properties of biodegradable polymer nanocomposites in the application of engineered bone tissue. · Biological imaging: Functionalized graphene solution dispersed in surfactants has been designed as a blood pool MRI contrast agent. In addition, iodine and manganese doped with graphene nanoparticles have become multi-mode MRI computer tomography (CT) contrast agents. · Drug delivery: Researchers at Monash University have discovered that graphene can effectively adsorb cancer cells, enabling the design of drug delivery agents for cancer treatment.
Graphene petrochemical products
Graphene nanomaterials can be used as emulsion stabilizers or as wellbore strength improvers. They can act as a fluid permeation barrier to drilling fluids and completion fluids. This will generate "smart fluids" for drilling activities and reduce the penetration of rock formations. Fluid, maintain the original rock pressure, reduce the wear of drilling tools, and reduce the possibility of hydraulic sticking of the drill pipe or stuck pipe.
Using graphene nanomaterials as drilling mud lubricants can enhance the anti-friction ability, anti-wear performance and mud stability. In addition, the use of graphene materials and single-walled nanocarbon materials for nanotechnology EOR chemistry research has become a recent research focus. In theory, these materials will react with oil and change its oiliness, thereby increasing the fluidity of the oil, thereby increasing the output of crude oil.
Graphene coating
Graphene oxide is used as an additive for coatings and can be used on various surfaces from glass to metal. Through simple chemical modification, the resulting coatings behave like graphite in terms of chemical and thermal stability, but they become very strong mechanically, almost as tough as graphene.
The graphene coating on the steam condenser has increased the condensation efficiency by three times, and the efficiency of the entire plant has increased by 2-3%. · Graphene coating may be introduced into a new generation of waterproof equipment, so that the chassis of the waterproof equipment does not need to be sealed. · After using graphene as a conductive additive, the problem of darkening of the primer color caused by the conductive agent can be avoided, which is very beneficial to the improvement of automobile electrostatic spraying. The data shows that after adding 2% to 4% graphene, the primer coating value is 40-50, which can fully meet the chromaticity requirements of electrostatic spraying for automobiles.
Graphene conductive printing and packaging materials
Graphene-based inks can provide high conductivity, flexibility, high-speed printing and low-temperature curing, which means that the printed matter can be rubbed, bent, and wrinkled without damage, and it can stably resist temperature, humidity and corrosion. Special applications such as medical equipment, energy storage devices, high-resolution displays, and electrochemical and biochemical sensors have opened the door to printed electronics.
Packaging company MWV worked with Vorbeck Materials to create graphene-based packaging for products that require embedded security systems. Its sensors can detect when the product is moved and when it is taken out.
Graphene sports equipment
Graphene-based composite materials will help produce stronger, lighter and more durable sports equipment.
Directa Plus is a pioneer in the supply of graphene for bicycle tires. Early laboratory tire tests have shown that the addition of graphene will bring a leap in product performance. In a 50-kilometer time trial, it can help athletes save 40 seconds, and the application of graphene has significantly improved the tire’s resistance to punctures and cuts.
HEAD announced their new series of graphene tennis rackets (YouTek Graphene Speed series). It is said that the use of graphene can make the racket shaft lighter and stronger.
Graphene Super Capacitor
Supercapacitors are like a hybrid of batteries and capacitors. Graphene supercapacitors are special capacitors with exceptionally high electrical conductivity and large specific surface area. They have higher advantages than similar products in the process of energy storage and release.
Researchers have announced a new technology for producing graphene supercapacitors based on the DVD burner reduction method. Subsequently, the technology was transformed into the production of stacked 3D supercapacitors. The stacked configuration greatly improves the energy density of the device. In the test, the device remained stable during 12,000 charge and discharge cycles and retained 90% of the capacitance.
Graphene transistor
IBM's research may enable graphene transistors to be applied in the near future. The development of this transistor is part of a mission undertaken by the Advanced Research Projects Agency of the US Department of Defense. The US military hopes that this research can help them develop high-performance wireless FM transistors.
The IBM Research Institute pointed out in an interview that graphene cannot completely replace silicon in the field of digital computing, but they can complement each other and extend the performance of computer chips in the form of hybrid circuits. Such circuits do not rely on higher switching ratios. At the same time, they said that the size of graphene transistor circuits is theoretically infinite, and the transmission speed of graphene is 200 times faster than silicon-based circuits.