Graphene price is a variable quantity that is currently influenced by various factors such as the worldwide demand for the development of new products, its availability, the capability of the relevant countries to produce it in bulk, the production price and the type of technology involved in production processes. If you are interested in graphene market research, click here.
In general terms, the world agrees that graphene represents a fantastic material due to its exceptional characteristics. Graphene has delocalized electrons in its structure; these electrons are mobile and are very efficient concerning the electrical conductivity transmitting from one point to another. This property provides the graphene with better electron mobility than any other metal. Its thickness is only of one carbon atom, and it is flexible. All of these particular properties and their innovative applications can be only boosted by the fact that graphene is stronger than steel.
Graphene discovery was awarded the Nobel Prize
In 2010, Nobel Prize in physics was awarded to confirm the existence of this material. Every year, there are announced many scientific discoveries stemming from the academic and private research focused on the better understanding of its properties. It has been corroborated that graphene can enhance the performance of batteries, solar cells, electronic transistors, flexible displays, sensors and a very resistant but, at the same time, light material. An increasingly high number of patents have been registered every year for new types of products that can range from bicycles to flexible cell phones.
Taken into consideration all the facts mentioned above, it still remains hard to predict when and how graphene will be available in large quantities. The material price stemming from its rather high production costs represents the most significant obstacle that hinders the development.
Graphene price – How the quality and type of product effects the price
The graphene price is also directly connected with its quality. Not all of graphene applications require a peculiar material quality. For example, graphene oxide (GO) is a compound comprising of oxygen and hydrogen. Its production costs are very low, and the current applications involve the production of conductive graphene paper for DNA analyses, as well as other composites and biotechnology applications.
On the market, you can find GO in solution for around EUR 99 per 250 mL provided by different suppliers. However, this GO does not have electronic properties sufficient for its application in batteries, flexible touch screens, solar cells, LEDs, smart windows and other advanced optical-related applications.
Technological influence on the price of the graphene
Soon, the prices of bulk graphene shall most likely decrease below the price of silicon, which is currently the material dominating the markets where graphene has its majority of applications. It is supposed that afterwards, the graphene will rule markets focusing on computers, chip manufacturing, sensors and solar cells. Until the technologies used for graphene production is efficient enough to reduce its market price, the graphene will continue to be utilised mainly in applications where other materials cannot be used. For example, silicon is the most predominant material used in smartphone displays (even though it lacks the demanded flexibility). Thus, it is very likely that the graphene will replace it in the future of flexible smartphones.
It is important to note that the graphene price is not as high as one might expect from such innovative material still in research. Most likely, it will follow the trend shaped by its unique applications on one side and the constant demand of technological progress on the other side. It will probably lead to numerous, more common and diversified applications in the future.
