Graphene

Not to be confused with Graphite or Grapheme.
Graphene
Graphene is an atomic-scale honeycomb structure made of carbon atoms
Material typeAllotrope of carbon
Chemical properties
Chemical formulaC
Mechanical properties
Young's modulus (E)≈1 TPa
Tensile strength (σt)130 GPa
Thermal properties
Thermal conductivity (k)5300 W⋅m−1⋅K−1

Graphene (/ˈɡræfiːn/)[1] is an allotrope of carbon consisting of a single layer of atoms arranged in a honeycomb nanostructure.[2][3] The name is derived from "graphite" and the suffix -ene, reflecting the fact that the graphite allotrope of carbon contains numerous double bonds in a two-dimensional sheet.

Graphene is known for its exceptionally high tensile strength, electrical conductivity, transparency, and being the thinnest two-dimensional material in the world.[4] Although a single sheet of graphene appears to be nearly transparent, graphite itself is black in color, as it absorbs all wavelengths of visible light.[5][6] On a microscopic scale, graphene is the strongest material ever measured.[7][8]

Photograph of a suspended graphene membrane in transmitted light. This one-atom-thick material can be seen with the naked eye because it absorbed approximately 2.3% of light.[6][5]

The existence of graphene was initially theorized by Philip R. Wallace in 1947, while investigating the electronic properties of graphite.[9] Small quantities of graphene have likely been produced over centuries through the use of graphite pencils.[10] In 2004, the material was isolated and characterized at the University of Manchester,[11][12] by Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov. In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their "groundbreaking experiments regarding the two-dimensional material graphene".[13] High-quality graphene is easy to isolate, making it a valuable and useful nanomaterial.[citation needed] The global market for graphene was $9 million in 2012,[14] with most of the demand from research and development in semiconductor, electronics, electric batteries,[15] and composites.

The IUPAC (International Union for Pure and Applied Chemistry) recommends use of the name "graphite" for the three-dimensional material, and "graphene" only when the reactions, structural relations, or other properties of individual single-atom layers are discussed.[16] A narrower definition, of "isolated or free-standing graphene", requires that the layer be sufficiently isolated from its environment,[17] but would include layers suspended or transferred to silicon dioxide or silicon carbide.[18]

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  4. ^ Pike, Jared (2023). "Is graphene the best heat conductor ever? Purdue researchers investigate with four-phonon scattering". Purdue University Mechanical Engineering News. Archived from the original on 4 March 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
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  9. ^ "Graphene: A Complete Chemical History". ACS Material. 20 September 2019. Retrieved 1 October 2024. In 1947, the existence of graphene was theorized by Philip R Wallace as an attempt to understand electronic properties of 3D graphite. He did not use the term "graphene", but instead referred to it as a "single hexagonal layer."{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ Johnson, Les; Meany, Joseph E. (May–June 2018). "Mass-Producing Graphene". American Scientist. Vol. 106, no. 3. p. 176. doi:10.1511/2018.106.3.176. Retrieved 1 October 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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  13. ^ "The Nobel Prize in Physics 2010". Nobel Foundation. Archived from the original on 22 May 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
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  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference IUPAC2009 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ Cite error: The named reference geim2009a was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  18. ^ Cite error: The named reference ried2009 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).