When will graphene-based products be available on the market?

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI have published two new papers as part of the Graphene Flagship that present a roadmap for the expected future market introduction of graphene applications.

Discovery of thousands of layered materials

In 2004, graphene was still produced by peeling off atomically thin layers of graphite. Today, thanks in part to advances made possible by the Graphene Flagship, high volumes of graphene can be produced with reliable and reproducible quality. In addition, the Graphene Flagship has driven the discovery of thousands of layered materials that are complementary to graphene in their properties and applications, and has also sought standardization in the production of graphene to ensure consistency and trustworthiness.

The new papers by Fraunhofer ISI scientists, published in the journal 2D Materials, provide an overview of the latest results of the Technology and Innovation Roadmap, a process that explores the various pathways to industrialization and commercialization of graphene and related materials. In particular, these articles summarize the impact that graphene and related materials will have on production processes and the emergence of new value chains.

Graphene applications are already available in the marketplace

"Our goal is to integrate graphene and related materials into everyday products and manufacturing," says Dr. Henning Döscher, who leads the work of the Graphene Roadmap team at Fraunhofer ISI. "We continuously analyze scientific and technological advances in this field and their potential to meet future industrial needs. Our first two Graphene Roadmap Briefs summarize some of the most exciting findings," he adds. "Graphene and related materials add value throughout the value chain, from improving and creating new materials to improving individual components and ultimately end products." Some graphene applications, such as composites or coatings, are already available on the market. The industry will soon be able to translate the latest innovations into tangible products and applications and start manufacturing batteries, solar cells, electronic devices or medical technologies.

"The market demand for graphene has almost quadrupled in the last two years," explains Dr. Thomas Reiß, co-leader of the roadmap project at Fraunhofer ISI. "By strengthening standards and creating tailored, high-quality materials, we expect to move beyond niche products and applications to broad market penetration by 2025," he adds. "Then graphene could be used in ubiquitous consumer products such as tires, batteries and electronic devices."

Europe must remain a leader in graphene applications

The dawning decade is crucial on the road to market maturity for graphene and related materials. "By 2030, we will see if graphene is really as disruptive as silicon or steel," says Döscher. "The Graphene Flagship has already shown that graphene is useful for numerous applications," he adds. "Now we need to make sure Europe remains a leader in this field to ensure we benefit from the economic and societal impact of developing such innovations."

Alexander Tzalenchuk, who heads industrialization at Graphene Flagship, says: "The publication of the Roadmap Briefs comes at a good time and will be welcomed by the industry that will generate innovations based on graphene and related materials. Increased confidence in graphene-based products is an important prerequisite for industrial adoption. Based on the market analysis and technology assessment of the Graphene Flagship Roadmap, this is another important contribution, providing expert validation of the properties of graphene and related materials, graphene-enhanced components, devices and systems through the development of consensus-based and accepted international standards."

Kari Hjelt, Head of Innovation at the Graphene Flagship, adds, "We are seeing a sharp increase in interest in graphene across various industries, as evidenced by the eleven Graphene Flagship spearhead projects, all led by industry partners. The first mass applications are paving the way to emerging high value-added areas in electronics and biomedical applications. In the near future, we will see the transformative power of graphene across many industries. Updates from the Technology and Innovation Roadmap team illuminate the road ahead for both research and industry."

Originalveröffentlichungen:
- IOP Science: Döscher & Reiss (2021) – Graphene Roadmap Briefs (No. 1): Innovation interfaces of the Graphene Flagship
- IOP Science: Döscher et a. (2021) – Graphene Roadmap Briefs (No. 2) : Industrialization status and prospects 2020

Quelle: Chemie.de – Ab wann werden Graphen-basierte Massenprodukte auf dem Markt verfügbar sein?