Apr 4 2014
What does a simple pencil have in common with the Nobel Prize winning discovery that’s expected to be the world’s next big game-changer?
The tip of that pencil is made of graphite, a close relative to graphene, which was called the “miracle material” by the scientists who earned the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics for its discovery. Scientists say graphene’s potential commercial applications are only limited by the human imagination.
“To say graphene is unique is a major understatement,” says Adam Kaminski, principal of Graphene Trade LLC (www.graphenetradeus.com), a nanotechnology brokerage with its U.S. office in Chicago. “Judging from the current research and thousands of patents, graphene will touch every facet of our lives.”
Graphene has been making headlines worldwide because of its unique properties which will have thousands of applications, according to researchers at major universities worldwide. Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms bonded to one another in a honeycomb pattern. It is the thinnest, strongest and most conductive material known to man. Graphene is more than 200 times stronger than steel, lighter than a feather and it conducts electricity 1000 times better than copper. At the same time, it is flexible like rubber.
Scientists anticipate thousands of commercial applications for graphene, many of them sounding like they’ve been taken from a science fiction novel. From creating synthetic blood and non-invasive cancer treatments to replacing silicon in computer chips, resulting in faster, lighter and even unbreakable smart phones, tablets and other devices. The scientific community is predicting:
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Aircraft that are 70 percent lighter yet stronger than ever;
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Lithium batteries that take only minutes to charge, last longer and are lighter
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Water filtration systems that make fresh drinking water available worldwide
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Absorbent, reusable sheets to mop up oil spills in water within minutes
Worldwide, more than 7,000 patents were filed related to graphene in 2013, 1,600 in the United States alone. Governments and private industry have invested billions of dollars in research as they vie for leadership roles in the commercial applications for graphene.
“The future of graphene is coming on fast and we view it as an opportunity for speculative investing in a futures commodity that is dynamic and exciting to own and follow,” says Kaminski. “Graphene Trade allows people to take a broad approach by investing in the graphene itself as a commodity rather than in identifying specific companies working with graphene applications. This captures the broader market for everyone using graphene, from universities to private companies.”
For more information on graphene investing, visit www.graphenetradeus.com or contact their Chicago office in the Mercantile Exchange at 312-466-7553