Graphene technology is not the future, it has already hit the market.

[Real Graphene Power Bank](grapheneuses.org/real-graphene-power-bank/)**

From better cameras to vibrant displays, for years we have seen drastic advancements in nearly all the technologies around us except for the batteries that power all of these.

Surely we have fast charging now along with bigger batteries but fast charging does more harm than good to the lifespan of our batteries. Even though we have a bigger battery capacity now, charging your phone to its full capacity is harmful.

For decades we have used the Lithium-ion based batteries but soon, we might be able to get our hands on the latest generation of batteries which would be based on graphene.

Samuel Gong, the founder, and CEO of Real Graphene USA has highlighted the progress in the graphene technology.

“People always think graphene is the thing of the future, but I’m here to correct them. It’s here now. We create a battery that can charge super fast, is very cool, and has a long life in terms of cycle charges.”

Graphene is a 2D structure of Graphite, the material used to make pencils. So what makes the graphene so unique? Graphene is over 100 times stronger than steel and just two atomic layers of the material can stop a bullet#:~:text=Graphene%20is%20the%20thinnest%20compound,milligrams)%2Cand%20extremely%20flexible.). But more importantly, graphene is the best conductor of electricity and heat while being incredibly light.

Fast charging and long-lasting

Current batteries cannot handle more than 500 charge cycles, unlike graphene batteries which can manage up to 1500 charge cycles#:~:text=Graphene%20is%20the%20thinnest%20compound,milligrams)%2Cand%20extremely%20flexible.). Moreover, graphene batteries respond to fast charging better#:~:text=Graphene%20is%20the%20thinnest%20compound,milligrams)%2Cand%20extremely%20flexible.) as it will take just 20 minutes to charge a 3000mAh cell with a 60-watt charger. Normal phone batteries can’t safely be charged with a 60-watt charger.

These batteries also generate less heat as compared to normal ones at equal charge power. Our current batteries suffer from issues such as overcharging and puncturing. We all remember the infamous Galaxy Note 7. But on the other hand, graphene is much more stable and resilient to such issues.

It is also worth noting that the graphene power bank of Real Graphene showcases the linear charging rates. In layman's terms, it means that the charging rate of graphene batteries doesn’t change. Our current smartphone batteries charge fast till a certain percentage and then slowly charge thereafter. This is done to preserve the health of the battery but graphene doesn’t have to deal with this issue. Therefore, you can expect your smartphone with a graphene battery to charge at the same rate whether it is at a 30% battery level or at 95%.

All these benefits don’t reduce the lifespan of graphene batteries though. Despite the fast charging, graphene batteries will still be able to have 1500 charge cycles.

Graphene has wide application which goes beyond the batteries and power cells. Due to it’s strong and stable nature, it can be used to build bulletproof objects,anti-corrosion coatings, precise sensors, drug delivery, a flexible display, and much more. It is even used to fight cancer.

Market ready

Graphene is very light and only a few sheets of it are needed per battery. Real Graphene is using lithium but just an upgraded version of it with graphene. Samuel Gong has explained how they have applied graphene in the current batteries.

“Graphene is an amazing conductor of heat and electricity. Lithium doesn’t like it when you put a lot of energy in and when you take a lot of energy out. We’ve applied graphene in two different ways. We mix it in the solution with lithium, plus we’ve add a composite layer, like a sheet of it, in the lithium battery. It acts as a conductor for the electricity, and doesn’t generate as much heat.”

This would make it easy for smartphones manufacturers to simply swap the existing batteries with the graphene batteries. Adding a graphene sheet doesn’t affect the physical attributes of a device since it’s only one-to-five atomic layers thick.

Besides this, graphene batteries also have a higher energy density, up to 1000Wh per kilogram compared to lithium-ion battery’s 180Wh per kilogram. In simple terms, the graphene battery can have a higher capacity compared to that of lithium-ion in the same physical size.

It is worth mentioning that although graphene seems to be market-ready, there is more to it than meets the eye. Graphene is not cheap, as one sheet of it can cost $25. However, we must see the larger picture. The cost of graphene a few years ago was $300,000 per kilo, hence the cost has dropped over the years. But the production process still remains complex, which is why many products that claim to use graphene actually use graphite and fail to meet the performance of graphene.

Additionally, it is noteworthy that a Real Graphene battery would add 30% to the cost of existing lithium batteries. But it can be argued that the 30% price increase is justified by the genuine increase in the lifespan of the battery and rapid charging.

Final thoughts

We have used the traditional lithium-ion battery for decades and there has been relatively moderate. With the increase in portable devices like smartwatches, it is becoming increasingly important to make technological advancements in power cells.

“The pace of battery development is not as fast as other technology areas, such as computing,” says Matthew McDowell, a materials scientist at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Graphene-based battery seeks to eliminate some of the major drawbacks of lithium-ion batteries without much change in the physical form factor. It offers fast charging, the triple lifespan of a normal lithium battery, as well as flexible physical attributes.

Graphene batteries open new doors for innovators as it allows smartphones to be thinner or offer more battery capacity while without changing the physical proportions. No doubt, graphene is considered the ‘wonder material’ of the 21st century.

Graphene technology has already hit the market with power banks, and it is only a matter of time before we see it used in smartphones as well.