How is graphene revolutionizing the battery industry?

How is graphene revolutionizing the battery industry? Graphene 29 October 2024

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Electrical energy is a central pillar of the energy transition. In fact, most of the appliances we use or will use in the future are battery powered. So, the need for high-performance, sustainable storage solutions has never been more pressing. But current batteries, particularly lithium-ion batteries, have serious limitations in terms of cost, environmental impact and efficiency. Yet exponential demand means the industry has to react quickly. Faced with these challenges, a promising material is emerging: graphene.

In this article, we invite you to discover how graphene is set to transform the battery industry and meet tomorrow’s energy challenges.

The impact of battery production

By 2024, 17 million electric cars (100% electric or plug-in hybrids) could be sold worldwide, according to estimates by the International Energy Agency (IEA). That’s 3 million more than last year.

To meet the growing demand for electric mobility, battery production is exploding. Their deployment is set to grow exponentially by 2023. The IEA’s special report points out that it increased by more than 130% compared with the previous year.

However, lithium-ion batteries, which dominate the market, require the use of rare metals such as cobalt, manganese and lithium. Given the limited availability of these materials, it is essential to find solutions to optimise their performance and use increasingly limited quantities.

Battery production also represents a crucial challenge if we are to succeed in meeting the climate targets set at COP28. These include a six-fold increase in global energy storage by 2030.

Performance problems

Batteries are still subject to reliability problems. It’s not uncommon for them to break down or malfunction. The result: a need to recharge more frequently or to replace the faulty device.

Against this backdrop, the battery market, and the lithium-ion battery market in particular, is in dire need of renewal. The challenge is to minimise their impact on the environment while increasing their reliability and lifespan. This is why players in the sector are looking for new components to increase the energy density, safety and longevity of batteries. Innovation is therefore turning to innovative materials such as graphene. 

Objective: to improve existing battery technologies

The world needs not only to increase the capacity of renewable energies, but also to improve energy efficiency.

New-generation batteries will play a key role in achieving this.

They are essential for supporting the development of clean energies, the electrification of transport and decarbonising these sectors.

They are a competitive and sustainable alternative to fossil fuels.

NASA’s SABERS programme, which is exploring innovative solutions for light electric aviation, is a perfect example of this.

Since January 2023, the global battery market has intensified its adoption of graphene.

In the UK, Nanotech Energy plans to launch a lithium-ion battery gigafactory using graphene in 2026. Several other investments have been made in graphene production companies, including those orchestrated by Evonik in February 2023 and Stellantis in May 2023.

Graphene-based batteries: a forward-looking solution

Yes, in the next few years, batteries made from graphene could well make their mark on transport.
Made up of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice, graphene offers exceptional electrical conductivity, a large specific surface area and remarkable lightness and flexibility.


These unique properties could make next-generation batteries more efficient and longer-lasting than traditional lithium-ion batteries.


Thanks to the high mobility of the charge carriers, batteries incorporating graphene promise significantly improved charging and discharging speeds, while maintaining optimum thermal stability even under extreme conditions.


The fact that the volume of the anode does not change with each charge and discharge cycle means that the batteries will last longer, avoiding the need for frequent replacement.


Graphene-based batteries would therefore not only be more efficient, but also more durable.
In environmental terms, they would require fewer scarce resources by using carbon, a material that helps to reduce their ecological impact.

 What applications for graphene?

Thanks to its remarkable properties, graphene will encourage the development of innovative energy storage solutions.

Ultimately, graphene-based batteries will support the transformation of key sectors.

With its flexibility and mechanical strength, smartphones, tablets and other portable devices will benefit from longer battery life and reduced charging times. Batteries will be thinner and lighter, making smart devices even more powerful.

Electric vehicles (EVs/HEVs) will benefit from greater range and much shorter recharging times.

In terms of sustainability and energy efficiency, the energy storage sector will have access to a new source of storage for solar and wind energy.

Carbon Waters develops a new range dedicated to energy storage

Given the excellent compatibility of graphene with the other materials used in Li-Ion batteries, Carbon Waters has launched the development of a new range for energy storage. An initial collaboration with a CNRS laboratory specialising in materials for batteries has led to a series of preliminary discussions with European industrial and institutional players.

Our research has shown that specific formulations developed from Carbon Waters’ graphene-based dispersions (Graph’Up) are not only highly stable in lithium-ion battery mixtures – unlike many other graphene-based solutions – but also have an efficiency comparable to that of the carbon-based reference products currently used in the industry. To date, Carbon Waters is continuing to develop its expertise in this area and has opened the first discussions with European chemists who are experts in the battery sector.

The battery industry, particularly the lithium-ion sector, is actively seeking new materials capable of increasing energy density, safety and battery life.Graphene is emerging as a real solution for the future.

Batteries made from graphene promise to make devices more efficient, comfortable and environmentally friendly. They could replace traditional technologies and meet the ambitious targets set at COP28, while also meeting the growing global demand for energy storage.

However, integrating graphene into batteries remains costly and is still at the development stage. At the same time, other alternatives are emerging, such as supercapacitors and fuel cells. Combined with advances in graphene, these technologies may in turn transform the approach to storage.

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