Graphene

Last week, speaking with one customer, he explains to me that he wants one fast boat made with graphene.

I know a little of the good phisical caracteristics of this material.

The work metodology is similar to composites but I don't know any comercial supllier who works with this material.

Anybody who have information about this material characteristics, work metodology and suppliers?

Regards.
CustomBoatsDesign@gmail.com

 

Well, if you let the customer dictate the composite composition, you're doomed to have a rough time on the project.

Graphene isn't cheap (it's more than expensive) and currently has no commercial products, though this might change soon with some light bulb filaments made of graphene. 3D printers are using it as a plastic modifier to greatly stiffen the printed image. In this case it's a power mixed with the base polymers. I see it's near future uses in the medical and lubricant industries.

 

Even if the customer goes seriously (I don´t think so), my advice is do not be guided by him. If he insists on the subject, you direct it to a designer for whom you do not feel sympathy.

 

I saw an article on this recently: "Graphene, the Miracle material that is impossible to use"

good luck with it.

 

Yeah, apparently it's hard to make this stuff in sheets and it's ungodly costly, but do some reasearch and have fun with it.

 

When you find a use for your .001 thick sheet, be sure to talk to your enviornmental regulators.

I'm willing to bet there is no current path to approving a commercial product.

 

Graphene is a layer one molecule thick of graphite. It doesn't have any structural application on boatbuilding. There are some uses, for example in lithium ion batteries to increase capacity, but we haven't had any good success yet.

 

I'd guess that it will be in Touch screens pretty soon. The conductivity characteristics must be near ideal. Maybe other ultra thin electrical connections, for clam shell mobile devices, maybe ultimately part of membrane panels in your (electric?, Fuel cell?) car!.

As for the more structural side, most likely micro machines and medical stuff, I would think must be favourite areas for application.

 

The official presentation of the new graphene batteries held yesterday in Spain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpfjHM-ZIcQ