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Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal, honeycomb lattice. It was first isolated in 2004 by Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, work that earned them the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics. Since then it has become one of the most studied materials in science.
What makes graphene different
- Thin and strong: it is one atom thick, and in lab measurements a perfect sheet is among the strongest materials ever tested for its weight.
- Conductive: it conducts electricity and heat very well, which is why it is studied for electronics, sensors, batteries and thermal management.
- Flexible and nearly transparent: a single sheet bends without breaking and lets most light through.
- A barrier: a defect-free sheet is impermeable to gases, which is why graphene is researched for coatings and barrier films.
Those numbers describe ideal, single-layer graphene in a lab. In real products, graphene is usually added in small amounts to a material that already works, and the result depends on how well it is dispersed. That is the part we focus on.
What graphene has done in our own testing
- Concrete: our graphene concentrate, added at about 1% of the mix, gave a 67% gain in compressive strength in testing. See graphene in concrete.
- Lubricants: a graphene-integrated lubricant formulation reduced wear by up to 42% and raised weld load by 26% in independent testing at Univar's Houston lab. Read the press release.
- Car care: we developed four graphene-enhanced products with ITW for its Rain-X and Black Magic brands. Read the ITW case study.
- Composites: graphene-integrated polymer composites developed with Advanced Armor Research Group (AARG) were evaluated with V50 ballistic testing. Read about the aerospace polymers.
- Coolants: ThermaGraph™, our graphene coolant for indoor water loops, showed a +6% to +18% higher convective heat transfer coefficient than a glycol baseline in internal pumped-loop lab tests. See ThermaGraph™ data center coolants and what those lab numbers do and don't show.
Where graphene is being applied
Graphene is being researched or used in electronics and sensors, batteries and supercapacitors, coatings and paints, polymers and composites, concrete, lubricants, coolants, textiles and sports equipment. Some of these are on the market today; many are still in research. We make graphene in the USA and supply it already dispersed in water, solvents, resins and oils, so manufacturers can add it to their own processes. Learn more about Graphene Integrations.
Related: graphene vs graphite, how graphene additives are used in manufacturing, and our graphene products.
