Commercialization of graphene-based technologies: a critical insight

Carbon in its single layer atomic morphology has exceptional thermal, optical, electronic and mechanical properties, which may form the basis for several functional products and enhanced technologies that go from electricity storage to polymer nanocomposites of so far unsurpassed characteristics. Due to the high cost, however, the current global production of graphene does not exceed 120 tonnes. New chemical and physical methods to exfoliate graphite, however, were recently engineered and commercialized, which open the route to massive adoption of graphene as the "enabler" of numerous important technologies, including enhanced electricity storage. This feature article presents an updated, critical overview that will be useful to nanochemistry and nanotechnology research practitioners and to entrepreneurs in advanced materials.