India needs to catch up in the area of graphene to be among the leaders in AI and a potential challenger in quantum computing.
What is graphene?
Graphene is an allotrope of carbon consisting of a single layer of atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice nanostructure.
Graphene was discovered in 2004 for which the scientists received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010.
It is the world’s thinnest, strongest, and most conductive material of both electricity and heat.
Properties - It is 200 times stronger than steel but 6 times lighter.
It is almost perfectly transparent as it absorbs only 2% of light.
It is impermeable to gases, even those as light as hydrogen and helium.
It has the potential to absorb and dissipate electromagnetic waves.
It is highly sensitive to environmental changes.
What are the applications of Graphene?
Graphene in itself has huge potential to revolutionise electricity, conductivity, energy generation, batteries, sensors and more.
Graphene composites are used in aerospace, automotive, sports equipment and construction.
It is used for high-performance batteries and super-capacitors, 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 has an attractive potential in defence and aerospace as a promising material for armour and ballistic protection due to its exceptional strength.
What are the global trends towards graphene?
It was difficult to produce high-grade large-scale graphene at the time of its discovery.
Now over 300 companies are producing graphene or its derivatives.
As per a report, at least one graphene-enhanced product was launched every week in 2022.
China and Brazil are global leaders in the commercial production of graphene.
China, the U.S., the U.K., Japan, South Korea, Russia, and Singapore are among the leading countries in graphene research.
Beijing Graphene Institute was set up in 2018, where several companies produce industry-grade graphene products.
China declared graphene a priority in its 13th Plan.
Europe has set up the Graphene Flagship, with a budget of 1 billion Euro in 2013.
In 2018, China filed 218 graphene-related patent while the other leading countries together filed 79.
India had eight graphene-related patent filings.
How is India’s progress in graphene industry?
India’s progress has been better than many nations towards graphene.
India produces about one-twentieth of graphene products compared to China and one-third compared to Brazil.
Some start-ups and foreign subsidiaries have started graphene or graphene derivatives in India.
The India Innovation Centre for Graphene in Kerala is being setup and implemented by the Digital University Kerala in partnership with Tata Steel.
India’s niche is going to be innovation using graphene.
It figured out how graphene oxide-based wrappers loaded with preservatives can increase the shelf life of fruits and vegetables.
Indian companies have patented for a technology for graphene-based ultra-capacitors and developed applications of graphene-based nanotubes.
What should India do to progress in graphene industry?
India missed the semiconductor bus in the mid-1990s, now it has to step on the graphene.
Like other countries, Centre needs to become the nodal point to spur large-scale innovation activity around graphene.
A nodal Ministry needs to be entrusted with the responsibility of ‘National Graphene Mission’.
India needs to be among the leaders in graphene to get benefitted the most from the industry and to excel in AI and quantum computing.
