By Owais AliReviewed by Frances BriggsAug 13 2025Graphene’s unique properties continue to drive breakthroughs from quantum computing to sustainable concrete. As research accelerates, its role in next-generation technologies is becoming clearer, and increasingly practical.
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Graphene 101
Graphene is a two-dimensional material composed of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice. Its first discovery was so astonishing because, despite its atomic-scale thickness, graphene exhibits exceptional mechanical strength, approximately 200 times greater than steel.
It also has high electrical and thermal conductivity and a very high theoretical surface area of approximately 2,630 m2/g, which means it can easily be functionalized, broadening its scope.
These properties make graphene suitable for applications in quantum electronics, biomedicine, sustainable construction, and energy storage.1
Recent Advances in Graphene Research
Quantum Spin Transport Without External Magnetic Fields
At TU Delft, researchers have coaxed graphene into carrying quantum spin currents without external magnetic fields.
By stacking it on top of magnetic CrPS4, they induced the quantum spin Hall effect, in which electrons move along graphene's edges with their spins aligned. These spin currents are topologically protected, allowing resistance-free transport, preserving spin information over tens of micrometers, and remaining resilient to material defects.
The result? A viable path to ultrathin spintronic circuits with greater speed and lower energy use. The findings could also stabilize qubit interconnections for scalable and efficient quantum computing architectures.2
Neuromorphic Artificial Taste Systems
Artificial sensory systems often struggle with chemical detection in liquid environments. This is particularly true for sensors that mimic human taste. Graphene oxide is the answer here. Its electrical conductivity changes on contact with different chemicals, making it ideal for detecting super subtle flavor compounds.
Building on these properties, researchers have developed a graphene-based artificial tongue that integrates sensing and computing within a single nanofluidic device. Layered sheets of graphene oxide respond uniquely to flavor chemicals.
Tested against 160 such substances, the device developed a database and, using machine learning, achieved 98.5 % accuracy in identifying known tastes and 75-90 % accuracy for new ones.
Beyond this novelty taste-ability, this study has serious implications. From food safety to restoring taste in patients with neurological damage, this new tech could have a big impact on rehabilitative medicine.3
Targeted Brain Cancer Therapy
A recent study in Medical Oncology details how graphene quantum dots (GQDs) can be used to target brain tumors more precisely. These nano-sized graphene fragments, with their photoluminescent and photothermal properties, could help drugs cross the blood-brain barrier and enable real-time imaging of tumor sites.
Applied to glioblastoma multiforme, one of the most aggressive brain cancers, this GQD-integrated therapy delivered drugs more accurately and, when exposed to near-infrared light, selectively killed tumor cells. Cytotoxicity tests confirmed selective toxicity against glioblastoma cells with minimal effects on healthy brain tissue.
This approach represents an important step toward more precise and effective treatments for aggressive, hard-to-treat brain tumors.4
Sustainable Construction Materials
Not always glamorous, construction is one of the largest industries worldwide. Concrete, an essential building block, is very carbon intensive. Adding even tiny amounts of graphene can significantly enhance concrete's strength and durability. At less than 0.1 % by cement weight, it improves the material's microstructure and load distribution.
In partnership with Northumbrian Water, researchers and industry partners trialled a graphene-enhanced, low-carbon concrete on-site. The mix replaced some of the traditional clinker (a carbon-heavy ingredient) with ground granulated blast-furnace slag and micronised limestone. The addition of graphene offset the strength loss, delivering a 28-day compressive strength of 78.3 N/mm2, close to the control mix’s 82.6 N/mm2.
Carbon savings were even more striking: up to a 49 % reduction in emissions per cubic metre of concrete.5
Graphene-Enhanced FePO4 Cathode for Improved Battery Performance
Batteries also benefit from graphene's unique traits. Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) possesses distinctive properties that enhance battery performance, including high electrical conductivity for improved electron transport, mechanical flexibility to accommodate volume changes during charge-discharge cycles, and a large surface area that facilitates ionic diffusion and establishes robust conductive networks.
In a recent study published in the Journal of Energy Storage, a team of researchers recycled old lithium-ion battery materials. They repurposed FePO4 from spent cathodes and graphene oxide from used graphite anodes, producing an FePO4@rGx composite.
The in situ rGO wrapping enhanced the electronic and ionic conductivity of FePO4 while mitigating structural degradation from volume expansion during cycling. It had superior lithium storage performance, including high reversible capacity, excellent rate capability, and long-term cycling stability.
This closed-loop approach addresses both the environmental cost and material scarcity associated with battery production.6
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Future Outlooks
Graphene continues to prove its worth across a widening array of sectors. Its blend of strength, flexibility, and conductivity makes it hard to match. Yet scaling production and ensuring safety are still real challenges. Even so, twenty years after its discovery, graphene’s super strength is moving from laboratory curiosity to commercial reality.
References and Further Reading
- Lei, Y. et al., (2022). Graphene and Beyond: Recent Advances in Two-Dimensional Materials Synthesis, Properties, and Devices. ACS Nanoscience Au, 2(6), 450–485. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnanoscienceau.2c00017
- Ghiasi, T. S. et al., (2025). Quantum spin Hall effect in magnetic graphene. Nature Communications, 16(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60377-1
- Zhang, Y., et al., (2025). Confinement of ions within graphene oxide membranes enables neuromorphic artificial gustation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122(28), e2413060122. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2413060122
- Unidirwade, D.S. et al. (2025). Graphene quantum dot-integrated nanocomposites: a promising avenue for glioblastoma treatment. Med Oncol 42, 417. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-025-02967-z
- The University of Manchester. (2025). Graphene-enhanced, low-carbon concrete successfully laid at Northumbrian Water site. https://www.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/graphene-enhanced-low-carbon-concrete-successfully-laid-at-northumbrian-water-site/
- Huang, S., Zhang, L., Liu, L., Fan, Q., & Xu, J. (2025). The use of electrode materials from used LiFePO4 batteries for the synthesis of reduced graphene oxides wrapped FePO4 cathode with enhanced lithium storage properties. Journal of Energy Storage, 132, 117921. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2025.117921
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