HIGHLIGHTS:
- Kerala has established the country’s first graphene innovation centre.
- First graphene research and development centre to be founded within country.
- Graphene is the world’s strongest material known.
What is in the News?
Kerala has established the country’s first graphene innovation centre. This is the first graphene research and development centre to be founded within country.
Graphene Facts
- Graphene is the world’s strongest material known. It’s also the thinnest of the materials. Graphene is a material with excellent electrical conductivity and chemical resilience. It has a huge surface area, is translucent, and is light in weight.
- Indium can be replaced with graphene. It lowers the price of an Organic Light Emitting Diode. Graphene is a carbon isotope. It possesses a honeycomb nanostructure in two dimensions.
- Because of its electronic and electrical capabilities, graphene is referred to as “Wonder substance.”
- Graphene a zero gap semiconductor. This indicates that the conduction and valence bands are both at the same energy level. Free electrons in the conduction band are required for an element to conduct electricity.
The Centre’s Background
The project would be funded with Rs. 86.41 crores by the central government. The centre will be developed with the help of the Kerala government. The industrial partner is Tata Steel. In addition, the state-run Digital University Kerala and the Centre for Materials for Electronics will collaborate on the initiative with the state and federal governments.
Graphene Applications
- Tennis racquets are made from it. Graphene is also employed in the manufacture of composite materials, bioengineering, energy storage, and filtration. Lubricants, paints, functional fluids, batteries, coatings, oils, capacitors, display materials, and solar cells are all made with it.
- Other materials can benefit from the addition of graphene. When a small bit of graphene is added to metals, polymers, or any other substance, it becomes much stronger.
- Graphene is perfect for producing super capacitors because of its high surface area to volume ratio.
- Anti-corrosion coatings have been applied to graphene. Drug delivery, sensors, coatings, and solar panels all employ it.
