Bright futures: what's next for graphene?
The Graphene Flagship funds comprehensive roadmapping efforts within our Industrialisation Work Package. Our researchers study the state-of-the-art developments based on graphene technologies, analyse the market, and then provide strategic guidance on commercial uptake and industrial impact.
As Physics Nobel Laureate Niels Bohr used to say: “it’s difficult to make predictions, especially about the future.”
Indeed, forecasting forthcoming breakthroughs is a complicated matter. At the beginning of the project, our roadmapping team predicted a number of applications before 2020. Among them were graphene composites, inks and printable electronics.
All of these dreams have come true, and our online product gallery showcases several success stories – from motorcycle helmets and tennis rackets to thermal coatings and cooling solutions. If you haven’t already, check out our brand-new video product gallery to see footage of our latest products in action.
Some of these developments surpassed our highest expectations: notably, graphene-enabled sensors and detectors. Such positive results foretell triumphs in the fields of photonics, electronics and spintronics, supported by the launch of Graphene Flagship spin-off companies in these areas: Emberion, Qurv Technologies, CamGraphIC and CRIL.
Another unexpected accomplishment arrived in the field of graphene-enabled biomedical technologies. In 2021 alone, our spin-offs Grapheal and INBRAIN received over €16 million in private investments. Experts believe that graphene could revolutionise the medtech industry thanks to its unique flexibility, conductivity and biocompatibility.
Combined with advances like artificial intelligence and biometrics, graphene-enabled biosensors and medical devices are set to outperform existing solutions. Currently, Graphene Flagship researchers are carrying out clinical trials. If these prosper, time-to-market will shrink, and graphene-based medical solutions will reach patients sooner than anybody anticipated.
The latest market analyses all agree that graphene’s value will reach €600 million by 2030. Beyond just papers, patents and projects, this truly illustrates the success of the Graphene Flagship. We have established an innovative ecosystem that fosters collaboration between academia and industry, and consolidated Europe’s leadership in the field of graphene and related materials. And it all blossomed from a chunk of graphite and a piece of sticky tape.
Now, graphene is a world-leading industry – with many more surprises yet to come.
Author bio
Fernando Gomollón-Bel
Fernando is the Press Coordinator for the Graphene Flagship.