Advanced two-dimensional (2D) materials discovered in the last two decades
are now being produced at scale and contribute to a wide range of
performance enhancements in engineering applications. The most well known of
these novel materials is graphene, a nearly transparent nanomaterial
comprised of a single layer of bonded carbon atoms. In relative terms, it
has the highest level of heat and electrical conductivity, protects against
ultraviolet rays, and is the strongest material ever measured. These
properties have made graphene an attractive potential material for a variety
of applications, particularly for transportation-related uses, and
especially for automotive engineering.
The goal of drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions has prioritized the
electrification of transportation, the decarbonization of industry, and the
development of products that require less energy to make, last longer, and
are fully recyclable.
While this chapter reviews the current state of graphene-related automotive
applications, it also identifies the technological challenges facing
engineers that look to benefit from the attractive properties of
graphene.