The

Graphene
Council

The 2020
Graphene
Survey

Produced by:
The Graphene Council
www.thegraphenecouncil.org

04 JANUARY 2021
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Table of Contents

Introduction ...............................................................................................3

About This Survey ....................................................................................4

Survey Participants ..................................................................................5

Graphene Applications .............................................................................8

Graphene Performance Attributes ........................................................12

Commercial Forms of Graphene ...........................................................13

Graphene Material Characteristics........................................................14

Standards and Business Practices .......................................................15

Obstacles to Commercial Graphene Adoption ....................................16

Summary..................................................................................................18

About The Graphene Council ................................................................19

Appendix - Sample Survey Questions ..................................................20

The Graphene Council 2 2020 Graphene Survey

Introduction

The Graphene Council is the largest community in the world dedicated to the research,
development and commercial application of graphene and related advanced materials.
We directly connect more than 30k materials researchers, professionals, engineers and
application developers, of which approximately 1/3 are in academia and 2/3 are from the
commercial sector.

In 2016, The Graphene Council conducted the very first global survey of the graphene
ecosystem and now in 2020, we have once again surveyed the graphene community,
including companies that are not yet using this amazing material but that are evaluating
its potential.

More than 800 individuals and organizations have contributed to this latest edition of the
survey and their feedback has provided a rich set of data and insights that will help us to
better understand where the graphene market stands today, and where it is headed.

As you will see from the results of our survey, graphene has an incredibly diverse
universe of potential applications, a direct result of its very impressive range of
performance characteristics. Graphene is really the only material that can claim it is
simultaneously the thinnest, strongest, most thermally conductive, most electrically
conductive, has the best barrier properties and still offers other positive attributes.

The range of applications includes coatings, plastics, energy storage, textiles, filtration,
composites, printed electronics, biomedical, EMI shielding, corrosion control, films,
lubrication, thermal transfer and many, many more.

In 2021, graphene is truly approaching an inflection point as quality improves, production

is massively scaled, processing is mastered and better pricing makes this amazing
material competitive.

Thank you to everyone that contributed to the survey, we appreciate your input and we
value your interest and dedication to graphene as an important, advanced material.

Terrance Barkan

Executive Director | The Graphene Council | tbarkan@thegraphenecouncil.org

The Graphene Council 3 2020 Graphene Survey

About This Survey
The 2020 Graphene Survey has benefited from more than 800 individual contributions
from across the global graphene community, making it by far the most comprehensive
and representative body of data and insight into the current state of graphene
development available anywhere.
The primary objectives of the survey include;
to understand which forms of graphene are being used for a given application.
to correlate graphene performance characteristics with specific applications.
to assess which applications are the most prevalent and important.
to identify which standards, regulatory issues or industry practices are important.
to highlight the primary obstacles to greater commercial adoption of graphene.

This version of the report provides a high-level overview of the results that are being
made available to the public and to survey participants.
We will continue to make a deeper, detailed analysis of the vast amount of data we have
collected to understand the implications for the sector. We will also make comparisons
from the 2016 survey data to track how the sector is evolving and maturing.
Definitions Used
Each section of the survey will explain the terms used in that section and put the data into
context. For the purposes of our report, the following general definitions apply:
Applications Includes functionality (e.g. “Thermal Management”) as well as some
industry sectors (e.g. “Aerospace”).
Commercial Refers to any for-profit, private sector organizations and companies.
Academic Includes higher education institutions, government-related organizations,
technical training centers or any non-commercial entity.
NOTICE:
Use of Content - The contents of this report belong exclusively to The Graphene Council.
If you would like to use any of the content, images, tables or to quote any statistics,
please send your request directly to tbarkan@thegraphenecouncil.org.
We will endeavor to approve all requests.
Any republication of any of our content must include attribution as follows:
Source: The 2020 Graphene Survey by The Graphene Council
www.thegraphenecouncil.org

The Graphene Council 4 2020 Graphene Survey

 United States Survey Participants
India
United Kingdom
Brazil We received input from no less than 65
Canada different countries, ranging from Algeria
Spain
Germany to Zimbabwe, with the majority of the
Korea responses coming from countries with a
Turkey
Italy strong engagement and experience
Australia
France
with graphene materials.
Netherlands
Taiwan The extremely wide distribution of
China countries that are represented is further
Sweden
Greece evidence that graphene is maturing as
Mexico
Russia
a globally relevant commercial material.
Romania This theme will be echoed throughout
Switzerland
Pakistan
the report.
Algeria
Ireland Survey participants were asked to
Israel
Japan
identify the types of activity related to
Malaysia graphene that best applied to their
Singapore
South Africa
institution. Respondents were able to
Sri Lanka identify multiple responses depending
Iraq
United Arab Emirates on their scope of activity.
Belgium
Bolivia For example, a University (Academic
Denmark
Indonesia
Institution) may be a producer of certain
Portugal forms of graphene while also
Bangladesh
Colombia developing applications and conducting
Czech Republic research. Likewise, a Commercial
Finland
Hong Kong Graphene Producer may be a
Nigeria developer of a graphene application
Norway
Poland while also conducting research, in
Qatar addition to their primary graphene
Serbia
Ukraine production business model.
Argentina
Belarus
Burkina Faso Survey respondents were drawn from
Chile
Costa Rica
Graphene Council Members,
Croatia community contacts, partner
Curaçao
Egypt organizations and the global graphene
Ethiopia community. Respondents include large
Iceland
New Zealand multi-national companies, leading
Peru academic institutions and a vast
Philippines
Saudi Arabia majority of the commercially active
Suriname graphene producers and intermediary
Thailand
Zimbabwe companies.
0 40 80 120 160

The Graphene Council 5 2020 Graphene Survey

The distribution of commercial entities versus
academic organizations almost perfectly reflects
the distribution within The Graphene Council
global community.
Of the more than 800 survey respondents, a full 35%
2/3 operate in the commercial field while 1/3 are
academic or governmental institutions.
Within the 30k graphene professionals that are 65%
in the global Graphene Council community, we
see the same 1/3 - 2/3 distribution of academics
versus commercial professionals.

Commercial Entity
We have further segmented the survey Academic Organization
responses based on how people are working
with graphene; are they producing graphene,
using it in an application, conducting research, developing potential applications, etc.?
This year we included the option for respondents that are not yet working with graphene
but that are evaluating its use to register their interests and comments. This is incredibly
important to help understand the needs of future consumers and users of graphene.

Use in Application

Not Yet Use

Buyer

Develop Applications (COM)

Academic Research

Commercial Research

Commercial Producer

Develop Applications (ACAD)

Academic Producer

Intermediary

Regulatory

0% 10% 20% 30%

% of Survey Respondent Type

The Graphene Council 6 2020 Graphene Survey

Respondents were asked to select each option that applied to their organization,
therefore, an organization might be a graphene producer as well as an application
developer, for example.
In the graph listed above, we see that a full 26% of all respondents are already using
graphene in at least one type of application. This is significant evidence that graphene is
moving from the lab to the commercial sphere in a significant way. Another 24% of
participants indicated that although they are not yet using graphene, they are interested in
the material and are seeking to learn more about it. This is a very important indicator of
potential future adoption and if combined with those that are already using graphene in at
least one application, it brings us to an important 50% threshold.
Another strong indicator of commercial activity is that 23% of all survey participants report
that they are buyers of graphene materials.
If we then look at research activities, we will see that academic organizations that are
researching graphene represent 19% of the total responses, which translates into 78% of
the more than 250 academic organizations that participated in the survey. Commercial
organizations (which includes both producers and users of graphene materials) that are
also researching graphene represent 17% of the total responses or 39% of all commercial
organizations, a fairly high percentage.
Because we work with producers and users of graphene on a daily basis, The Graphene
Council is keenly aware of the important amounts of research being driven by the
commercial sector that is focused on developing real world commercial applications.
The survey results show us that application development is being pursued by 19% of
commercial entities and a further 14% by academic organizations for a total of 33%, just
slightly lower than the research activities. We fully expect that as graphene continues to
mature, the percentage of organizations focused on application development will overtake
the number that are research focused, especially as the issues of production scale,
handling, dispersion and pricing are successfully addressed.
We likewise divided graphene producers into commercial and academic categories with a
17% and 12% respective distribution. It is important to make this distinction because while
many academic institutions produce graphene, that material is primarily for internal use in
research or application development. On the commercial side, we should note that some
commercial producers in fact do not sell graphene but instead use their production 100%
internally in value added products or master batch formulations.
An important 10% of the survey participants self-identified as “Intermediary” organizations
which includes toll processors, functionalization services providers and other processes of
enhancing graphene.
Finally, 4% of our survey participants represent regulatory bodies which can include
standards setting organizations, regulatory agencies and governmental departments.

The Graphene Council 7 2020 Graphene Survey

Graphene Applications
Graphene materials are extremely versatile, with well over 40 distinct application areas
that have been identified to date. This is in large part because of the unique combination
of properties that graphene exhibits; strength, thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity,
flex modulus, barrier properties, etc.
And while graphene is often selected for a particular property in a given application, we
have consistently seen that the multi-functional nature of graphene imparts unexpected
but beneficial secondary properties.
For example, graphene has been added to polyurethane for use in sacrificial liners in the
mining industry to protect underlying metal parts. In this case, graphene’s ability to
improve abrasion resistance was the primary objective (which it did with an impressive
35% improvement). However, the addition of a small amount of graphene also made the
material much more fire resistant, an important factor where welding equipment is often
used in close proximity to plastic components.
In another example, extremely small amounts of graphene (as little as 0.02% by weight)
have been added to cement and concrete to improve compressive and flexural strength
properties (which it has in the 35% and 20% ranges respectively). However, the addition
of graphene has also had the very beneficial effect of dramatically accelerating the cure
rate of the material, saving valuable time on a construction site. In addition, graphene
reduces water permeability after the cure, extending the life of the finished product,
especially in harsh marine environments.
To drive the point home with a third example, graphene is often added to thermoplastic
materials to make them stronger, add resistance to UV radiation or to elevate the thermal
deformation point. In many cases, these materials are extruded. The unintended
secondary benefit however is that the materials are able to be processed at a higher
speed than non-graphene enhanced materials, increasing throughput and efficiencies.
The cost of adding graphene to a host material is just one side of the equation and
because so little of graphene is often needed, that cost factor is not as large as many
assume. What potential users of graphene should understand for their target applications
is that the overall benefits of using graphene and the price/performance tradeoff should
be taken into account.
In most cases when using graphene as an additive to improve a host material, there is
little to no change in the capital equipment needed or the processes used, meaning there
are few real barriers to making use of graphene materials.

The Graphene Council 8 2020 Graphene Survey

 Plastics & Polymers
Films and Coatings
Composites (Thermoplastics)
Energy Storage (Batteries / Super Capacitors)
Structural Materials
Composites (Thermosets)
Textiles and Fibers
Corrosion Resistance
Automotive
Thermal Management
Aerospace
Epoxies and Adhesives
Conductive Inks
Bio-Medical Applications
Additive Manufacture (3D Printing)
Electronic Components
Sensors (Please add details in the "Comments")
Water Filtration
Rubber and Synthetics
EMI/RFI Shielding
Concrete and Cement
Energy Generation
Graphene Application
Semiconductors and Sector Focus
Waterproof Coating
Medical Applications
Lubricants
Wearables
Optoelectronics
Transparent Conducting Electrodes
Pressure Sensors
Nanoelectromechanical Systems NEMS
Photodetector
Piezoelectric Effect
Transistors
Touch Screens
Plasmonics and Metamaterials
Magnets
Spintronics
Quantum Computing
Sound Transducers
0.0% 12.5% 25.0% 37.5% 50.0%

The Graphene Council 9 2020 Graphene Survey

In a subsequent section of this report, we will discuss the various forms of commercially
available graphene materials in more detail. In general, graphene can be divided into two
very broad categories; Bulk and Monolayer.
Bulk Graphene refers to forms of the material that can include single or monolayer
materials but are typically comprised of multi-carbon layered materials. This group of
materials includes Graphene Nanoplatelets (GNPs), Graphene Oxide (GO), reduced
Graphene Oxide (rGO) and other forms of graphene that are typically presented in the
form of a black powder.
Monolayer graphene ( a single atomic layer of SP2 bonded carbon) is typically, but not
exclusively, produced by Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) processes and is presented
in the form of a “sheet”, either on a substrate, wafer or free standing.

Application Type of Graphene Application Type of Graphene

Additive Manufacture (3D Bulk Photodetector Monolayer

Printing)
Piezoelectric Effect Monolayer
Aerospace Bulk/Monolayer
Plasmonics and Monolayer
Automotive Bulk Metamaterials

Bio-Medical Applications Bulk/Monolayer Plastics & Polymers Bulk

Composites (Thermoplastics) Bulk Pressure Sensors Monolayer
Composites (Thermosets) Bulk Quantum Computing Monolayer
Concrete and Cement Bulk Rubber and Synthetics Bulk
Conductive Inks Bulk
Semiconductors Monolayer
Corrosion Resistance Bulk
Sensors Monolayer
Electronic Components Monolayer
Sound Transducers Bulk
EMI/RFI Shielding Bulk
Spintronics Monolayer
Energy Generation Bulk/Monolayer
Structural Materials Bulk
Energy Storage (Batteries / Bulk
Super Capacitors) Textiles and Fibers Bulk
Epoxies and Adhesives Bulk Thermal Management Bulk
Films and Coatings Bulk/Monolayer Touch Screens Monolayer
Lubricants Bulk Transistors Monolayer
Magnets Bulk Transparent Monolayer
Conducting Electrodes
Medical Applications Bulk/Monolayer
Water Filtration Bulk/Monolayer
Nanoelectromechanical Monolayer
Systems NEMS Waterproof Coating Bulk
Optoelectronics Monolayer Wearables Bulk/Monolayer

The Graphene Council 10 2020 Graphene Survey

Each specific form of graphene has attributes that make it better suited for certain
applications over others. For some applications, it is possible to make use of either bulk
graphene or monolayer graphene.
The tables on the preceding page give a general indication of which types of graphene
are able to be used for the different application areas identified.
In general, electronic and sensing applications will make use of monolayer forms of
graphene while bulk graphene materials are typically the material of choice when used as
an additive in a host material.
Please note that there are almost no cases where a device or product is entirely made
from graphene itself. Instead, graphene should be viewed as an important enabling
technology and advanced material. Even in the cases where monolayer graphene is used
for delicate sensing applications, it is part of a larger device or system.
There are several points that we wish to stress regarding the use of graphene:
An extremely small amount of graphene (often less than 1% by weight or even in
the tenths or hundredths of a percent by weight) can have a dramatic impact on
performance.
There are significant differences in how graphene performs based on the specific
morphology, any chemical groups and surface chemistry, functionalization, form
factor (powder, paste or solvent) and other aspects. It is critical to identify the right
graphene for a given application.
The processing and handling of graphene is integral to achieving success in an
application (i.e. dispersion techniques). While graphene is now widely available, it
requires expertise in handling, so working with experts with these skills is critical.
Even at very low loadings as a % by weight for most applications, significant
volumes of graphene will be needed for major application areas. Therefore it is
important to work with producers and suppliers that have the ability to scale
production with repeatable and consistent quality.
The Graphene Council works with leading graphene producers and application
developers, including the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) at the
University of Manchester in the UK where The Graphene Council is a Tier 2 Member. The
GEIC is designed to assist companies to rapidly design, build and test prototypes using
graphene materials.
We also work in a similar fashion with the MackGraphe Institute at the Mackenzie
Presbyterian University in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
If your organization is interested in exploiting the many properties of graphene materials
to make your next generation products and applications, The Graphene Council can help
connect you with qualified partners and provide you with expert advice that will save you
time and money in the R&D process.

The Graphene Council 11 2020 Graphene Survey

 Graphene Performance Attributes
Graphene has multiple positive attributes that almost always present themselves in
combination. However, specific attributes are prioritized according to the target
application. A much more detailed analysis will reveal which attributes are most
appropriate for a given application. The table below gives an overview of which graphene
performance attributes are most commonly desired.

% of Respondents Ranking Performance Attributes by Importance

Electrical Conductivity
Thermal Conductivity
Electrical Charge Storage
Impact Resistance (Toughness)
Corrosion Resistance
Tensile Strength
Barrier Properties
Flex Modulus
UV Protection
Flame Retardation
0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0% 1

Essential Important Interesting Not Needed

Respondents were asked to rank 10 different graphene performance attributes on a scale

from “Essential” to “Not Needed”.
Because graphene has near superconductor electrical mobility, it is not surprising to see
that electrical conductivity was the most highly scored attribute. This is followed by
thermal conductivity, which for many electrical applications would be a very
complimentary performance factor. The third most desired attribute, electrical charge
storage, is also complimentary to graphene’s electrical conductivity and thermal transport
properties.
The next five properties (impact resistance, corrosion resistance, tensile strength, barrier
properties and flex modulus) might be grouped as “physical” attributes. These are most
often sought when graphene is used as an additive material to improve the host matrix,
whether in an epoxy, plastic, composite or other similar application case.
Graphene’s ability to block UV radiation as well as its propensity to reduce flammability
are another set of important performance attributes on their own accord or in combination.
The extremely broad range of performance attributes of graphene are precisely why it is
being used in more than 40 distinct applications and industry sectors.
As we will see in the next section, graphene is not one material but is really a family of
advanced materials that are based on SP2 bonded carbon atoms. The specific form of
graphene determines which of the above attributes that material is best suited to deliver,
making the selection of the most appropriate form of graphene essential.

The Graphene Council 12 2020 Graphene Survey

 Commercial Forms of Graphene
As stated in the prior section, graphene is not a single material from a commercial
perspective but is instead a family of advanced materials that ranges from a single atomic
layer of carbon atoms to material that can be up to 10 carbon layers or more in thickness.
The carbon atomic layer count is but one aspect of classifying different forms of
graphene. The lateral size of graphene flakes, the presence or absence of defects in
single atomic layered crystals, the inclusion of oxygen or other elements, and the form
factor (dry powder, paste, solvent, etc.) all are critical aspects of determine what type of
graphene we are working with.

Frequency of Use %

Functionalized Graphene
Graphene Oxide - GO
Multi-layer Graphene (MLG) 5-10 carbon layers
Few Layer Graphene (FL) 2-5 carbon layers
Graphene in Powder Form
Reduced Graphene Oxide - rGO
Very Few Layer Graphene (VFL) 1-3 carbon layers
Graphene Nanoplatelets (11 or more carbon layers)
Single layer graphene (on substrate)
Graphene in a Suspension/Solvent
Single layer graphene (other than on substrate)
Graphene in a Master Batch formulation
Graphene in a Paste
Graphene Quantum Dots
0.0% 12.5% 25.0% 37.5% 50.0%

The chart above gives an indication of the complex range of formats and forms that
graphene is available in from a commercial perspective. Within the categories listed
above, there are even more ways of defining a specific graphene material leading to
literally thousands of permutations.
This is one reason why it is critical that buyers or users of graphene work with
experienced and knowledgeable producers and suppliers to make sure that the material
used is “tuned” or matched to the target application.

The Graphene Council 13 2020 Graphene Survey

 Graphene Material Characteristics
In contrast to the performance attributes sought from using graphene materials, the actual
graphene material characteristics refer to why and how a particular graphene will perform
and which performance attributes it will display.
For example, Graphene Nano-Platelets (GNP’s) are hydrophobic while Graphene Oxide
is hydrophilic. This in turn dramatically affects how easy or difficult it is to disperse one or
the other in a particular host material or solvent.

% of Respondents Ranking Material Characteristics by Importance

Dispersibility
Surface Area
Number of Layers
Purity - Graphene Content
Flake Size (lateral dimensions)
Aspect Ratio
Oxygen Content
Metal Content
Domain (Grain) Size
Crystal Defect
0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%

Essential Important Interesting Not Needed

The above 10 listed graphene material characteristics are what one would typically find
included (at least in part) on a Material Specification Sheet. The actual amount of detail
and items declared will differ from producer to producer and will differ depending on the
type of graphene material.
At present, there is a great deal of work being done in international standards setting
bodies like the International Standards Organization (ISO), American National Standards
Institute (ANSI), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and others, to agree
which test methods are to be used to measure for a given graphene material
characteristic.
For example, RAMAN Spectroscopy is often used to determine if SP2 bonded carbon is
present, confirming the material is graphene, or Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) to
measure the actual number of carbon layers.
The current challenge is to identify a set of consistent measurement procedures and
processes that are economical, reliable and sufficiently rapid to be used in an industrial
production setting.

The Graphene Council 14 2020 Graphene Survey

 Standards and Business Practices
If there is one topic that most frequently comes up concerning graphene materials, it is
the lack of “standards”. Unfortunately, this single, clear term hides a set of very complex
topics that includes the need to set standards for;
Nomenclature, definitions and terminology
Differing grades and types of graphene materials (and what is not graphene)
How to measure for the different attributes and characteristics
Verification and certification of materials, producers and products
Health and safety related disclosures, testing and handling processes
As a new industry and material, these types of standards and best practices are in the
forming and development stage. As graphene matures and becomes more widely used,
the need for agreed standards across all of these domains will become essential as part
of the commercialization and adoption process.
This will be an area of intense focus for The Graphene Council and member companies
during 2021 as the lack of established standards, together with existing and new
regulatory requirements, is seen as the next major choke point for the graphene sector.

% of Respondents Ranking Standards and Business Practices by Importance

Measurement / Characterization Methods

of graphene materials
Heath and Safety declarations

for graphene materials

Quality standards in the

production process (batch to batch)

Defining "grades" or types of

commercial graphene materials

Standards for technical

data sheets (minimum sets of data)

Nomenclature and Definitions

Establishing reference price

data for commercial graphene sales

0.0% 25.0% 50.0% 75.0% 100.0%

Essential Interesting Not Needed

The Graphene Council 15 2020 Graphene Survey

Obstacles to Commercial Graphene Adoption
As with any new material or technology, there are barriers to adoption and obstacles to
commercialization. Graphene materials are no different and we received highly consistent
feedback resulting in a prioritized list of perceived obstacles.
Respondents provided one or more primary obstacles to graphene adoption, many of
which are to be expected along with some notable outliers out of the 14 issues identified.
The top three (3) most frequently cited obstacles to graphene adoption were;
1. The price or cost of the material on a per unit basis (see bottom of p.17 for detail).
2. The ability to either produce the material, or the availability of graphene materials on a
large, industrial scale.
3. The ability to produce graphene on a repeatable basis of the required quality.
The price, scale and quality obstacles (at least one or more of these three) were cited by
no less than a full 70% of respondents to this question. These three are also closely
intertwined and related topics that are top of mind with virtually every graphene producer
today.

% of Respondents Citing Major Obstacles to Commercial Adoption

COST / PRICE

PRODUCTION METHODS, SCALING AND DISTRIBUTION

MATERIAL QUALITY/CONSISTENCY

LACK OF KNOWLEDGE / AWARENESS

DISPERSION / HANDlING

ABSENCE OF APPLICATIONS

INHERENT GRAPHENE PERFORMANCE

STANDARDS / GRADES / CERTIFICATION

HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES

MATERIAL CHARACTERIZATION METHODS

INFLATED EXPECTATIONS/HYPE

REGULATORY / CERTIFICATION

LACK OF FUNDING

0% 10% 20% 30%

The Graphene Council 16 2020 Graphene Survey

4. The next most cited obstacle (4.) was a lack of knowledge or awareness. This
included a lack of awareness by end-users concerning what graphene is capable of in
a particular application area (samples include wide ranging sectors such as
construction, healthcare, transportation, or architecture), or a lack of specific
knowledge about how to handle and manipulate graphene materials (a workforce
training issue).
The next four listed obstacles are in many ways related to one another.
5. Dispersion and handling of graphene materials, in particular, how to integrate
graphene into a host material. In the case of single layer graphene, transfer
techniques would also fall into this category.
6. The lack of obvious and numerous commercial applications was seen as an obstacle.
As one participant stated; “Nobody wants to be first, everybody wants to be third, with
the first 2 taking the risk.”. As more applications are announced (including many that
are currently unknown because they are under Non-Disclosure Agreements), we
expect a period of rapid commercial adoption.
7. The next set of comments referred to various aspects that are integral to graphene
materials themselves and how they act. For example, the lack of a natural band-gap in
graphene for electronics was cited as an example. This is where collaboration
between researchers and commercial entities can bear fruit.
8. A lack of standards, definitions of material “grades”, verification or certification of
materials or suppliers, and use of common nomenclature were all listed as significant
obstacles to adoption
We see items 5-8 as having some overlap and interrelatedness. Identifying the right
material for the target purpose or application is key and a lack of tools to correctly identify
which graphene to use will cause potential consumers to pause, in turn causing others to
wait and see what happens.
9. Health and safety related issues were the next most frequently cited obstacle to
graphene commercialization, and in many cases are related to regulatory and
licensing or certification listed at number 12.
Interestingly, material characterization methods, inflated expectations or “hype” and a lack
of funding are all ranked quite low as significant obstacles, quite contrary to past
perceptions. Further proof that graphene is moving to a new stage of maturity.

*While the nominal price of graphene may seem to be high, the fact that often a
very small amount, often well less than 1% by weight, greatly reduces the direct
cost impact of using graphene material. For example, a high quality graphene
material that sells for $3,000 a Kg would add only $15 to a kilo of host material at
a 0.5% by weight loading. For large scale uses like cement and concrete, a GNP
material that sells for $50 Kg and that is added at 0.02% by weight in the finished
product adds a mere 1 cent a Kg or $10 per metric ton. Depending on the end
application, the type of graphene required and the load factor, graphene can
impart significant performance improvements for very sustainable costs.

The Graphene Council 17 2020 Graphene Survey

Summary
This report provides an important snapshot of the state of the global graphene sector as
of the end of 2020, a year in which the world was turned upside down by the global
COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these challenges, much progress has continued to be
made in the field of advanced materials, of which graphene is the leading player.
It is abundantly clear that graphene offers real world, game changing advances that align
with the world’s need for better, more sustainable solutions. To paraphrase a well known
maxim, “What got you here won’t get you to where you are going”.
To meet the challenges of tomorrow, society will need a new class of materials, just as the
industrial age relied on new industrial materials, processes and innovation to achieve new
levels of human achievement.
Instead of scaling up however, we must look to materials that are engineered at the
atomic level so that they are more effective, efficient and sustainable.
In the last years, carbon has come to be seen as the bane of our modern society.
Through graphene, it can now be the solution.
We are moving beyond the question of “Can graphene work?”, to “How do we deploy
graphene on an industrial scale?”.

The Graphene Council 18 2020 Graphene Survey

About The Graphene Council
The Graphene Council was founded in 2013 with a mission to serve the global community
of graphene professionals. Today, The Graphene Council is the most effective and
comprehensive global platform for all stakeholders with an interest in the commercial
application of graphene and related materials.
The Graphene Council facilitates networking and information exchange for graphene
researchers, academics, producers, developers, investors, nanotechnologists, regulatory
agencies, research institutes, material science specialists and end-users. Directly, and
through strategic partnerships with industry organizations, we reach hundreds of
thousands of materials scientists, engineers and R&D professionals.
Our strategy has been to connect the entire ecosystem, from university based
researchers to innovative graphene producers, to established end-user industry
companies looking for the next advancement in materials.
The result is that we have successfully engaged a cross section of leading universities,
graphene producers and industry sector companies from around the world as members of
The Graphene Council.

With a global presence through offices and entities in the US, UK, Switzerland and Brazil,
we invite you to join The Graphene Council and to take advantage of our bespoke
expert advisory services and resources.

Terrance Barkan, Executive Director, tbarkan@thegraphenecouncil.org

The Graphene Council 19 2020 Graphene Survey

Appendix - Sample Survey Questions

The Global Graphene Survey 2020

Required Question(s)

This short survey consists of just 9 questions.

Everyone that completes the survey will receive a complimentary report with the
aggregated and summarized results.

Thank you for your participation!

Terrance Barkan, Executive Director, The Graphene Council

1. Mark EACH category that applies to you and your organization.

We produce graphene material

We purchase graphene material

We use graphene in one or more end-products

We develop applications and uses for graphene

We are an intermediary that modifies or supplies graphene (e.g. functionalize)

We conduct research on graphene materials

We are a regulatory agency or governmental body

We do not yet use graphene but want to learn more

Other

Comment:

500 characters left.

The Graphene Council 20 2020 Graphene Survey

 2. Please indicate the main uses or applications that you are working on.
Mark EACH that applies. Note: The list continues on the following question.

Additive Manufacture (3D Printing)

Aerospace
Automotive

Bio-Medical Applications
Composites (Thermosets)
Composites (Thermoplastics)

Concrete and Cement

Conductive Inks
Corrosion Resistance

Electronic Components
EMI/RFI Shielding
Energy Generation
Energy Storage (Batteries / Super Capacitors)

Epoxies and Adhesives

Films and Coatings
Lubricants
Magnets
Medical Applications

Nanoelectromechanical Systems NEMS

Optoelectronics

3. Cont'd - Please indicate the main uses or applications that you are working on.
Please add any major uses not listed.
Photodetector
Piezoelectric Effect
Plasmonics and Metamaterials
Plastics & Polymers
Pressure Sensors

Quantum Computing
Rubber and Synthetics
Semiconductors
Sensors (Please add details in the "Comments")
Sound Transducers

The Graphene Council 21 2020 Graphene Survey

 Spintronics
Structural Materials

Textiles and Fibers

Thermal Management

Touch Screens

Transistors
Transparent Conducting Electrodes

Water Filtration

Waterproof Coating

Wearables

Other

Comment:

500 characters left.

4. Please rate the material performance characteristics you trying to improve with graphene?

Essential Important Interesting Not Needed

Tensile Strength

Flex Modulus

Impact Resistance / Compressive Strength (Toughness)

Thermal Conductivity

Barrier Properties

Corrosion Resistance

UV Protection

Electrical Conductivity

Electrical Charge Storage

Flame Retardation

Comment:

500 characters left.

The Graphene Council 22 2020 Graphene Survey

 5. Which forms of graphene are of the most importance / interest to you?
Mark EACH that applies.
If you do not know which form applies, just answer "Not Sure" in the comments.

Single layer graphene (on substrate)

Single layer graphene (other than on substrate)

Very Few Layer Graphene (VFL) 1-3 carbon layers

Few Layer Graphene (FL) 2-5 carbon layers
Multi-layer Graphene (MLG) 5-10 carbon layers
Graphene Nanoplatelets (11 or more carbon layers)
Functionalized Graphene
Graphene Quantum Dots

Graphene Oxide - GO
Reduced Graphene Oxide - rGO
Graphene in a Suspension/Solvent
Graphene in Powder Form
Graphene in a Paste
Graphene in a Master Batch formulation

Other

Comment:

500 characters left.

6. Please rate the level of importance to you for each of the following properties for graphene material. If you do
not know, just mark "Not Sure" in the comments.

Essential Important Interesting Not Needed

Number of Layers

Aspect Ratio

Flake Size (lateral dimensions)

Domain (Grain) Size

Surface Area

Dispersibility

Crystal Defect

The Graphene Council 23 2020 Graphene Survey

 Purity - Non-Graphene Contents and Residue

Oxygen Content

Metal Content

Comment:

500 characters left.

7. STANDARDS and PRACTICES- Several international and national standards bodies are working on the
development of graphene related standards such as nomenclature, metrology and other aspects. Please rank
the level of importance of different standards and practices for you and your organization.

Essential Interesting Not Needed

Nomenclature and Definitions

Measurement / Characterization Methods of graphene materials

Defining "grades" or types of commercial graphene materials

Heath and Safety declarations for graphene materials

Quality standards in the production process (batch to batch)

Standards for technical data sheets (minimum sets of data)

Establishing reference price data for commercial graphene sales

Other - please explain

Comment:

500 characters left.

8. In your opinion, what is the single greatest barrier or obstacle to greater use and adoption of graphene
materials?

The Graphene Council 24 2020 Graphene Survey

 500 characters left.

8. In your opinion, what is the single greatest barrier or obstacle to greater use and adoption of graphene
materials?
1000 characters left.

9. What can The Graphene Council do to help you to better understand, develop or deploy graphene related
materials and applications?

1000 characters left.

10. We will send you a copy of the summarized report as a special "thank you" for your participation!

(Please include your contact information to receive your report.)

First Name:

Last Name:

Job Title:

Company Name:

Email Address:

The Graphene Council 25 2020 Graphene Survey