This is how the world’s first graphene methods became: goodbye to pits

As we say, graphene is a very special material due to its properties. It consists of carbon atoms bonded together in a hexagonal structure shaped like a honeycomb and only one atom thick. This means that graphene It is 200 times stronger than steelIt is even harder than diamond. But, in addition to that, the most unusual thing about graphene is that it achieves this by being a very flexible material, and therefore unique.

Graphene on the roads of the future

The wonderful properties of this material are not limited to what we told you before. Graphene is also a very light, waterproof material with a high ability to conduct electricity and heat. All these properties make it a very interesting material to combine with all kinds of elements.because the resulting material would be more durable without the addition of graphene.

The fact that it is mixed with asphalt is very interesting. Thanks to this combination, it is possible to get an ideal route for any environment or climate. Its great heat conduction capacity makes it ideal for road construction in very cold places, and its flexibility and high resistance make roads more durable, making them less necessary to renovate for reasons such as potholes or cracks. All countries spend a lot of money every year to repair roads in poor condition, so use graphene on these roads It can also be useful for general lockers.

Just a year ago, a pilot project began building a 5-kilometre section of the A1, the UK’s longest road running from top to bottom across the country. The use of graphene with asphalt and cement in roads is relatively recent, although we can see some precedents. The first time it was used to build a road was in 2018 in Rome, Adding graphene to a compound called GiPave (to which hard plastic was also added), it was also used in another UK city, Kent.

In the same year, I also started more tests with GiPave on two sections of Oxford Road, specifically Marsh Lane, a road that carries about 10,000 vehicles per day, and that is the main road. To perform these tests 700m of road paved with GiPaveWhile the rest is traditionally paved for comparisons.

It would help sustain the planet

The thing we didn’t take into account about graphene, which is very interesting, is the high degree of sustainability that it promotes. As we said before, this material is made of pure carbon, which makes it a completely environmental material. Asphalt and cement face a big problem of high greenhouse gas emissions, but Adding graphene to the mix can reduce gas emissions by 25-33%..

These ways are also They will help a lot in developing and selling electric cars. Being a material that conducts electricity exceptionally well, graphene roads will allow electric cars to recharge when the car stops at traffic lights or is parked, for example. It will also be possible for these cars to be charged on the go, which will surely make these cars sell for a lot more than they do today.