Advanced two-dimensional materials discovered in the last two decades are now
being produced at scale and are contributing to a wide range of performance
enhancements in engineering applications. The most well known of these novel
materials is graphene, a nearly transparent nanomaterial comprising 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 aerospace
engineering.
The goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating a world that
achieves net-zero emissions have 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. These aspects have driven the need for new, innovative materials
like graphene.
While this chapter reviews the current state of graphene-related aerospace
applications, it also identifies the technological challenges facing
engineers that look to benefit from graphene’s attractive properties.