Concrete may have found it's killer app in graphene composites. The ultra lightweight material is finding its way into everything from automobile bodies to aircraft wings. The benefits of using graphene in these instances are manifold, ranging from weight savings to the potential for stronger and more durable products. "There are other materials out there with properties that are attractive, but the cost of making them is too high," says Dov Monoson, president of the American Ceramic Society and vice president of applied research and innovation at Clariant in North America. "There's a lot of interest in graphene and other materials that are layered—silicon carbide, boron nitride, aluminum nitride—but those really just cost too much," he says. "They're very high priced and making many items out of them is very difficult and very expensive." Graphene on a roll. "There's a lot of interest in graphene and other materials that are layered—silicon carbide, boron nitride, aluminum nitride—but those really just cost too much," says Monoson. "They're very high priced and making many items out of them is very difficult and very expensive." Courtesy of Dov Monoson A single gram of graphene can cost roughly $10. That's no surprise when you consider that graphene is still made the same way it has been for decades—via industrial quantities of high heat and acid. But researchers are getting closer to producing graphene in larger, less expensive, quantities. Still, the market for graphene has yet to mature to the point where products will emerge with graphene replacing the metal alloys or ceramics currently used in place of graphene, which is known for its flexibility. "Graphene has a lot of great properties, but it needs to mature so it's better integrated into a lot of existing products," says Monoson. Although materials research has progressed, the technology to manufacture these super materials hasn't been able to keep pace. So far, graphene has only been used in one to two nanometer thick sheets. "The nanosheets are very flimsy, they tend to break very easily and they're not rigid like metal," says Monoson. Another issue with graphene is that it's very expensive to produce. The production processes include methods that are cost-effective, but still require large-scale production equipment and facilities to accomplish. Plus, graphene is used in a relatively small range of products so there isn't much to use it for, Monoson says. Still, in time the industry is starting to warm up to graphene. The technology has come a long way since its discovery in 2004. Researchers now have a few different ways to make graphene with a more cost-effective manufacturing process. "There's been a lot of progress and we're really on the cusp of having some real applications," says Monoson. "And I think graphene will be the next big material for a lot of different uses." He foresees two broad applications for graphene. "One is in lightweight materials, and I think that will be the real breakout application," says Monoson. "In this instance, you could have a significant weight savings without sacrificing performance or safety." Another application will come in transportation. Currently, metals, ceramics and polymer composites are the dominant materials used in air and ground vehicles because they are lightweight, strong and durable. But using graphene would allow researchers to create products that are lightweight, and potentially more fuel efficient and inexpensive than existing composite materials. "Transportation, especially for automobiles and aircraft, is a huge market and that's the direction we're going to see for graphene applications in the future," says Monoson. "There are a lot of opportunities for lightweight materials." As for the automotive industry, Monoson believes they could see a real benefit from using graphene in future vehicles. "In a lot of applications, including interior materials and electronic applications, graphene has a great shot to replace current materials," he says. But there is a downside to the product. Graphene is very slippery and may be more difficult to work with, so researchers are having to develop new techniques to handle the material. "There are a lot of challenges, but it's something researchers in a wide range of fields can work on together," Monoson says. Read the original article on Smartplanet.com. Copyright 2014. Access all the latest industry intelligence about the global composites market. Subscribe now.