Graphene

• Graphene is a very thin 2-dimensional material layer of carbon that was discovered and extracted from graphite in 2004. It is a very strong and very light material
• Graphene is harder than diamond, about 300 times stronger than steel and is currently the lightest known material
• Graphene is transparent and conducts electricity and heat even better than copper. It's extremely flexible, which is unusual for such a tough, strong material
• Due to graphene's strength, it's being developed for use in protective clothing, vehicles and even buildings
• Conductive ink is made by mixing tiny graphene flakes with ink, enabling you to print onto paper and use this print to conduct electricity. This was previously possible using semi-conductive ink, but the use of graphene has greatly improved how well electricity is conducted
• Graphene is in the early days of development, but you can already buy some products that contain it
• Graphene is also used in solar cells. These cells need conductive materials that allow light to get through them. Graphene is a suitable material due to its high conductivity and transparency

  
• Unfortunately, graphene is not very good at collecting the electrical current produced inside the solar cell, so further developments need to be made
• As graphene isn't ideal for solar panels, researchers are looking at modifications, such as the use of graphene oxide - this material is less conductive but more transparent and a better collector of charge
• Graphene has also been used in paint to act as a barrier between materials and the corroding effects of oxygen and water
• In the future, vehicles could be made corrosion resistant with paints containing graphene
• Electronics companies are investigating the use of graphene in touchscreens as it's able to transfer electrons at much faster speeds than silicon. This, paired with its flexibility, could lead to foldable televisions or computers, and due to its transparency, could lead to virtual curtains or intelligent windows