Advance in Graphene

*Introduction
Graphene is proving to be the magic material of the 21th century. It is widely accepted that
it is the strongest material ever studied and can be an efficient substitute for silicon.
Besides, fascinating properties of graphene, such as the highest electrical conductivity
among the discovered substances, have dramatically shocked science and technology
world. Graphene is a carbon based layer with high atomic density. Its extraordinary
characteristics such as extremely high mechanical strength, hardness, and adjustable
thermal and electrical conductivity, as well as excellent surface and optical feature through
chemical marking, have received great deal of attention by many researchers. The promise
of graphene technologies to disrupt the status quo has led to a worldwide effort to realize
the electronic, structural and thermal uses for this popular material. This fast-paced field
has seen the Nobel Prize in Physics awarded to graphene researchers only a few years after
their first publication announcing the isolation of the 2D material . There have already been
historical perspectives of graphene published, even though graphene-related research is a
relatively new field . Graphene technologies have also been the basis for innovation awards,
a shift towards acknowledging invention and commercial applications in addition to
fundamental research. The current graphene-based technologies are focused on
composites, electrodes, and coatings on the nanographene side and electronic devices on
the epigraphene side. Chemical modification of graphene is also a trend in electrochemical
devices, including batteries, supercapacitors and fuel cells. The hexagonal crystalline single
layer of graphite (the simplest form and one of the most important crystalline allotropes of
carbon atoms having a C-C bond distance of 0.142 nm) has received massive attention in
the field of sensors, biomedicals, composite materials and microelectronics.
Graphene is the only allotrope of carbon in which every carbon atom is tightly bonded to its
neighbours by an unique electronic cloud that raises several exceptional questions to
quantum physics . Along with the unique quantum hall phenomenon, graphene itself exists
in several forms like graphene nanoribbons, nano-sheets, nanoplates and 3D graphene.
Each of them displays amazing applications. As mentioned above, the electronic and
quantum properties of graphene are still a matter of fundamental studies. Each carbon
atom in graphene is sp2 hybridised, having three bonds, related to different neighbour
carbon atoms .The sp2 hybridisation is a combination of s, px and py orbitals .In the
hexagonal phase, three distinct carbon atoms fortify cova- lently to each carbon atom and
all of them are essentially sp2 hybridised, resulting for each carbon atom in one free
electron. The pz orbital holds this free electron and this p-orbital lies above the plane and
forms the pi bond. Interestingly, the pz orbital of graphene plays a vital role in the chemical
and physical behaviour of this miraculous material . The presence of a zero bandgap is a
drawback and unique feature of graphene, which opens several new opportunities to
develop artificial humanmade materials with tunable bandgaps that can be of use for the
next-generation of computing The two pi-electrons that are present in every hexagon of the
graphene sheets are responsible for the exceptional conductivity of graphene. Due to the
tight packing of atoms in the crystal lattice of graphene, it is highly stable, but only in case
its size is less than 20 nm, otherwise it is quite unstable thermodynamically except for some
specific conditions.

Fig. 1.(a,b,c)Fundamental aspect of graphene bonding properties and (d) SEM image of single-
layer graphene

Fig. 2. Schematic depictions about the Origin (presenting the transformation) of graphene
from graphite and peculiar structure of graphite and graphene.

*Structure of Graphene
Graphene is a crystalline allotrope of carbon with 2-dimensional properties. Its carbon
atoms are densely packed in a regular atomic-scale chicken wire (hexagonal) pattern. Each
atom has four bonds, one σ bond with each of its three neighbors and one π-bond that is
oriented out of plane.

*Nanostructures of Graphene
1. Monolayer graphene film
Single-layer, pristine graphene production mainly in bulk amounts is a critical task. Yet, CVD
is the most widely recognised strategy for single-layer graphene preparation when it is
targeted for sensing flexible electronic and theoretical studies.

2. Graphene oxide (GO)

Graphite is a 3D material which is organised and built up by millions of graphene layers [13].
Through an oxidation process, oxygen-containing functional groups are attached to the surface
of graphite and thus converting the graphite to graphite oxide.

3. Reduced graphene oxide (rGO)

GO can be transformed into reduced graphene oxide (rGO) through a reduction process .
There are numerous tech- niques for the conversion of GO to rGO and each developed
method has its own advantages and disadvantages.

4. Graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs)

Graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) are a new form of carbon spe- cies which are formed from
graphite under certain conditions. These nanoparticles are mostly found in the range of
1e15 mm in thickness and up to 100 mm in lateral size . The synthesis of GNPs is performed
with the assistance of micromechanical breaking of graphite and just offers the
development of graphene nanocomposites with enhanced barrier properties.

5. Graphene and graphene oxide quantum dots

Graphene and graphene oxide quantum dots (GQDs) can be set up into a wide range of
structures, from single-layer to many layers.

6. Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs)

At present, many forms of graphene have been developed and GNRs is one of them. It is a
quasi 1D form of graphene having an ultra-thin width . Graphene nanoribbons are also
known as nano-graphite ribbons. These are the strips of graphene having a width of less
than 2-5 nm.

7. Graphene aerogels (GAs)

* Applications of graphene for real-time applications

1. Flexible graphene transistors :
The main advantage of graphene-based transistors is that they can be operated easily at
room temperature and also have the capability to operate at low voltage with high
sensitivity . These qualities make graphene-based transistors better than silicon-based
transistors. due to the intrinsic properties of graphene, such transistors are extremely
flexible and foldable. The movement of electrons through graphene is 1000 to 10,000 times
faster than in silicon.

2. Graphene sensors :
Graphene will enable sensors that are smaller and lighter - providing endless design
possibilities. They will also be more sensitive and able to detect smaller changes in matter,
work more quickly and eventually even be less expensive than traditional sensors. Some
graphene-based sensor designs contain a Field Effect Transistor (FET) with a graphene
channel.
Graphene-based nanoelectronic devices have also been researched for use in DNA sensors
(for detecting nucleobases and nucleotides), Gas sensors (for detection of different gases),
PH sensors, environmental contamination sensors, strain and pressure sensors, and more.

3.Graphene for lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery.

4. Graphene displays :

Flexible display.
Graphene is a suitable material for utilising in EED (electron emission display) as it displays a
high aspect ratio and the dangling bonds at either end of the sheet display proficient
electron tunneling.
5. Graphene Face Mask :
UK-based planarTECH developed face masks that have a design that uses unique graphene
and other carbon nanomaterials coatings that take advantage of graphene's antibacterial
and antistatic properties. The mask is washable and reusable (up to 10 times), and the
graphene material helps to spread heat and make the masks more comfortable.

6. Storage devices :

In the future Graphene will be used to make storage equipment. Storage devices made of
graphene will be smaller in size. Their storages capacity will be higher than today's devices.
And their life time will also be longer.

7. Graphene solar cells :

With the appearance of graphene, more resistant and more efficient graphene solar
panels have appeared. Transparent graphene electrodes could replace indium tin oxide in
solar cells in the future, making them cheaper and more efficient. Scientists have developed
a new process to produce the required carbon films of the required thickness and quality.

Scientists have developed graphene films lower than 10 nanometers in thickness, that's 30
atomic layers. They are atomically smooth and could be used in the future as a  substitute
for indium tin oxide. Indium tin oxide is used in solar cells as a transparent electrode, in
which the generated current is tapped, similar to the electrical pole of a battery.

8. Graphene based supercapacitor :

Supercapacitors, unfortunately, are currently very expensive to produce, and at present
the scalability of supercapacitors in industry is limiting the application options as energy
efficiency is offset against cost efficiency.

But Graphene-based supercapacitor will be low cost, lightweight and more powerful. We
know that the surface area of graphene is very high. Due to which; we get to see more
energy store capacity. An experiment has seen that the capacity of today's supercapacitor
is 150F / g but graphene based capacitor has a capacity of 550 F / g.

* Structural composites :
1. Catalyst supports
Catalysis plays a major role in today’s society, impacting an estimated 90% of
all commercially produced chemical products. Generating about a trillion USD
in products worldwide, catalysis is used in energy processing (petroleum
refining, steam reforming, automotive catalytic conversion, fuel cells), bulk and
fine chemical manufacturing, food processing, and environmental protection.

Catalysis is a process in which an added catalyst enhances the rate of

reaction by lowering its reaction energy threshold. Most catalytic processes
employ heterogeneous catalysis, where the catalyst is solid whereas the
reactant fuel is in the liquid phase. Carbon plays a diverse role in
heterogeneous catalysis, most prominently featured as a solid support for
metal catalysts, for example on fuel cell electrodes. In some processes,
carbon itself acts as a catalyst.

Graphene, as a form of carbon with a high electron mobility and specific

surface area, arises as a natural candidate as a catalytic support. In the most
common catalytic reaction, a noble metal catalyst is anchored to a support
that acts not only as mechanical support, but also provides charge transfer
that assists the reaction. In its purest form, graphene is a chemically inert
surface, because there are no free chemical bonds. However, the addition of
strain, defects, or functional groups radically changes the chemical properties
of graphene and makes it suitable as catalytic support.

2. Polymer masterbatches
3. Functional inks
Conclusion
Graphene is a novel material, being the first one atom thick, 2D material that has been
isolated. Its honeycomb-like, planar hexagonal carbon atom arrangement and 2D nature,
gives graphene and its related compounds, some novel properties. These properties
include: high mechanical strength (whilst being lightweight), high thermal and electrical
conductivity, extremely large surface area and barrier/ membrane properties. These
properties have made graphene an exciting proposition in the research world.