Today (Oct. 11, 2012), I’m highlighting a second article in Nature. This time it’s a “A roadmap for graphene ” (behind a paywall) in the Oct. 11, 2012 online issue of Nature written by Nobel Prize-winner Professor Kostya Novoselov of the University of Manchester; V. I. Fal′ko Department of Physics, Lancaster University; L. Colombo, Texas Instruments Incorporated; P. R. Gellert, AstraZeneca; M. G. Schwab, BASF SE; and K. Kim, Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology.
If you can get behind the paywall, the article offers excellent insight into the state of graphene research and the state of graphene applications. The authors cover:
Challenges in Production
Chemical vapour deposition
Synthesis on SiC
Other growth methods
Graphene electronics
Flexible electronics
High-frequency transistors
Logic transistor
Photonics
Photodetectors
Optical modulator
Mode-locked laser/THz generator
Optical polarization controller
Composite materials, paints, and coating
Energy generation and storage
Graphene for sensors and metrology
Bioapplications
You can get more details about the article from the Oct. 11, 2012 news release from the University of Manchester,
The authors estimate that the first graphene touchscreen devices could be on the market within three to five years, but will only realise its full potential in flexible electronics applications.
Rollable e-paper is another application which should be available as a prototype by 2015 – graphene’s flexibility proving ideal for fold-up electronic sheets which could revolutionise electronics.
Timescales for applications vary greatly upon the quality of graphene required, the report claims. For example, the researchers estimate devices including photo-detectors, high-speed wireless communications and THz generators (for use in medical imaging and security devices) would not be available until at least 2020, while anticancer drugs and graphene as a replacement for silicon is unlikely to become a reality until around 2030.
I notice the lead authors are from the University of Manchester and Lancaster University. These UK educational institutions are part of the FET (Future and Emerging Technologies) GRAPHENE-CA flagship project, which is in competition for one of two prizes of 1B Euros for research. As I’ve noted previously in my Feb. 21, 2012 posting and many others, the UK is leading a tremendous public relations/marketing campaign on behalf of this project and the UK’s own interests. Good luck to them as I believe the announcement of which are the two winning projects from a field of six should be made in the next few months.
The current international infatuation with roadmaps sometimes reminds me of The Wizard of Oz and the Yellow Brick Road,
I always appreciate the optimism shown by the lead character, Dorothy, as she takes off for parts unknown.