In Context
The 21st century seems to become the age of graphene.
About Graphene
- It is a two-dimensional form (allotrope) of carbon that consists of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice.
- Properties: It is the world’s thinnest, strongest, and most conductive material of both electricity and heat.
- It conducts electricity better than copper.
- It is 200 times stronger than steel but six times lighter. It is almost perfectly transparent as it absorbs only 2% of light.
- It is impermeable to gases, even those as light as hydrogen and helium.
Applications and Potential
- Graphene composites are used in automotive, sports equipment and construction.
- It is used for high-performance batteries and super-capacitors, touchscreens, and conductive inks.
- Graphene-based sensors are used for environmental monitoring, healthcare and wearable devices.
- Graphene oxide membranes are used for water purification and desalination.
- Graphene-based masks were made during COVID.
- Graphene is important for defence and aerospace as well. Its exceptional strength makes it a promising material for armour and ballistic protection.
- Graphene has the potential to absorb and dissipate electromagnetic waves, making it valuable for developing stealth coatings and materials that reduce radar signatures and electromagnetic interference.
- Graphene is highly sensitive to environmental changes, which makes it an excellent candidate for sensing chemical and biological agents, explosives, radiation, and other hazardous substances.
- Besides, graphene-based materials can also protect us against chemical and biological attacks.
Global Leaders
- Among the leading countries in graphene research are China, the U.S., the U.K., Japan, South Korea, Russia, and Singapore.
- China and Brazil are global leaders in the commercial production of graphene.
- In 2018, China filed 218 patents while the other leading countries together filed 79.
- India had eight filings.
Indian Scenario
- India’s niche is going to be innovation using graphene. It figured out how graphene oxide-based wrappers loaded with preservatives can increase the shelf life of fruits and vegetables.
- India produces about one-twentieth compared to China and one-third compared to Brazil.
- India’s progress has been better than many nations.
Developments
- The Centre for Nano Science and Engineering at IISc Bangalore along with KAS Tech produced a graphene-based system several years ago.
- Some start-ups and foreign subsidiaries have started graphene or graphene derivatives in India.
- Tata Steel has succeeded in growing graphene (about 50 micrometres large domains) using annealing and extracting atomic carbon from steel surfaces.
- It has also mixed graphene with used plastic products to recycle them as new.
- The IIT Roorkee-incubated Log 9 has patented a technology for graphene-based ultracapacitors, and the IIT Kanpur-incubated RF Nanocomposites has developed EMI shielding and stealth technology using graphene-based nanotubes. But this trickle needs to be converted into a torrent.
- A laudable step in this direction was the setting up of the India Innovation Centre for Graphene in Kerala.
Issues and Challenges
- Given the high cost-to-volume ratio for high-grade graphene, its production may get concentrated in a few locations in the world, as in the case of semiconductors.
- Although graphene was discovered in 2004, it was difficult to produce high-grade large-scale graphene.
Way Ahead
- India needs to catch up in the research and production of graphene, which is the defining material of this age
- The Centre needs to become the nodal point to spur large-scale innovation activity around graphene.
- A nodal Ministry needs to be entrusted with this responsibility; else the subject will fall through the cracks. India needs to be among the leaders in graphene because we may experience the ‘winner takes the most’ situation here.
- India missed the semiconductor bus in the mid-1990s. The time to step on the graphene pedal is now.
- Governments have a crucial role to play.
Source: TH
|
Mains Practice Question [Q] What are the properties and potential of Graphene which make it interesting for both fundamental studies and future applications? |
