Graphene

Graphene

News: India needs to catch up in the research and production of graphene, a revolutionary material with numerous applications.

What is Graphene?
 Graphene is a special material. Among its many talents, it can act as a superconductor, generate a superrare form of magnetism, and unlock entirely new quantum states.
 It is world’s thinnest, strongest, and most conductive material of both electricity and heat. It is 200 times stronger than steel but 6 times lighter.
 Graphene composites are used in aerospace, automotive, sports equipment and construction.
 It is used for high-performance batteries and supercapacitors, 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. Its exceptional strength makes it promising material for armour and ballistic protection.
 Graphene has the potential to absorb and dissipate electromagnetic waves. So, it is valuable for developing stealth coatings and materials that reduce radar signatures and electromagnetic interference.

What has India’s progress been like as far as Graphene is concerned?
 India’s progress in graphene has been slower compared to leading countries like China and Brazil.
 India opened its first Graphene Innovation Centre in Thrissur, Kerala last year (2022); Tata Steel has succeeded in growing graphene (about 50 micrometres large domains) using annealing and extracting atomic carbon from steel surface;
 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.
 There is more that India can do. We need for a national graphene mission and government support to ensure India’s competitiveness in this emerging field.