Nobody ever thought that the graphite, at the tip of a pencil could create wonders in field of modern science and technology. A 2D layer from this 3D lattice of graphite is called graphene. Tested and characterized over years, graphene has exceptionally great properties which can be used in modern devices, not only to optimize them, but also to significantly reduce their costs.
The idea of graphene was given by P.R. Wallace in 1947 who studied the electronic properties of the 3D graphite. Until 2004, nothing less than 50 to100 layers thick graphite could be extracted. The research on graphene, gained momentum in 2010 when two physicists Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov discovered that graphene can be extracted from bulk graphite, by scotch tape technique. They studied the fabrication, identification and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) characterization for the graphene.
It is a C-based material. Carbon being the 4th most abundant element in the earth crust is easily available. Graphene is expected to be the hardest material known. It was the first 2D material to be discovered. Not only electronic devices, being C-based, they are bio-compatible and can be used as implants for living organisms. Having high tensile strength and elasticity, they are looked up to be used as artificial bones and teeth. When fabricated rightly on the graphene with metals like aluminum, gold or silver we can make high performance transistors and microprocessors.
Basically, graphene when extracted and properly fabricated, can open up a plethora of opportunities and areas to discover and invent for the well-being of mankind.
