More carbon, greener buildings
Graphene, a special form of carbon, has been touted as a wonder material since it was first isolated in 2004. Now it may be starting to change the world. A new article in the Economist suggests graphene’s moment has come.
That’s partly thanks to a lucky breakthrough by a graduate student who discovered a far better method to create graphene. The “flash” technique effectively turns rubbish into this precious and delicate form of carbon. Other processes work with waste methane emitted from landfills.
It’s also thanks to new practical applications which look set to save both money and the environment. Concretene, developed in association with the University of Manchester, is graphene-enhanced concrete. It is so much stronger that 30% less concrete is needed for the same structural support. That makes it 15-20% cheaper to use, even with the added expense of adding the graphene. Even better, since concrete is a massive source of carbon emissions (8% of the world’s total emissions every year), cutting its production by almost a third would have huge environmental benefits.