In October 2010, two University of Manchester (U.K.) scientists, Andre Geim and Konstantin Novolselov, were awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in physics for their research on graphene. Graphene is a one-atom-thick sheet of carbon whose strength, flexibility, and electrical conductivity have opened up new horizons for high-energy particle physics research and electronic, optical, and energy applications.
 
Potential electronics applications of graphene include ultra-small transistors, super-dense data storage, touch screens, and wearable electronics. In the energy field, potential applications include ultracapacitors to store and transit electrical power and highly efficient solar cells.
 
Some researchers argue that graphene’s greatest potential lies in its ability to conduct light as well as electricity. They believe that graphene can improve the efficiency of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and aid in the production of next-generation devices like flexible touch screens, photodetectors, and ultrafast lasers.
 
STUDY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
 
Graphene offers seemingly endless possibilities. However, intuition alone tells us that not all of these possibilities are likely to become reality. The goal of this report is to survey emerging graphene technologies and applications, identify those that are most likely to achieve significant commercial sales in the next 5 years to 10 years, and develop quantitative estimates of potential sales.
 
The report’s specific objectives support this broad goal. These objectives include identifying the graphene technologies and applications with the greatest commercial potential in the 2010 to 2020 time frame, identifying market drivers and evaluating obstacles to their successful commercialization, and projecting their future sales.
 
INTENDED AUDIENCE
 
This report is intended especially for marketing executives, entrepreneurs, investors, venture capitalists, and other readers with a need to know where the emerging graphene market is headed over the next 5 years to 10 years. Although the report is organized around specific technologies, it is largely nontechnical in nature and coverage. That is, it is concerned less with theory and jargon than with what works, how much of the latter the market is likely to purchase, and at what price.
 
The report has not been written specifically for scientists and technologists. However, the report’s findings concerning the market for their work, including the availability of government and corporate research funding for different technologies and applications, should interest them as well.
 
SCOPE OF REPORT
 
The report addresses emerging global markets for graphene, including the applications listed below:

•Computing/data processing
•Data storage
•Displays
•Antennas
•Solar cells
•Sensing and imaging
•Capacitors
•Research

The study format includes the following major elements:

•Executive summary
•Definitions
•General properties of graphene
•Historical milestones in the development of graphene
•Emerging and developmental graphene technologies and applications that have the greatest commercial potential through 2020
•Detailed market estimates and projections for each application and material during the period 2010 to 2015
•General assessment of expected market trends in the longer term (2016 to 2020)
•Companies that are producing or developing commercial graphene applications Patent analysis  
 
Highlights of the Report

•Analysts expect the first commercially significant sales of graphene products to develop before 2015 when the market is projected to be as large as $67 million. The graphene market should start to take off after 2015, reaching nearly $675 million by 2020, reflecting a 58.7% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2015 and 2020.

•Graphene structural materials accounted for virtually all of the commercial market for graphene technologies in 2009-2010.  By 2015, structural materials will account for 26.1% of the market and have a value of $17.5 million. This sector is expected to increase at a 39% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to reach $91 million by 2020.

•Capacitors should account for more than half of the market for graphene technologies by 2020. This sector is estimated to be worth $26 million in 2015 and to increase at a 67% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to reach $340 million in 2020.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 
STUDY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
INTENDED AUDIENCE  1
SCOPE OF REPORT  2
INFORMATION SOURCES AND METHODOLOGY . 3
ANALYST CREDENTIALS  4
DISCLAIMER 5

CHAPTER TWO: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
SUMMARY TABLE GLOBAL MARKET FOR GRAPHENE-BASED
PRODUCTS, THROUGH 2020 ($ MILLIONS)  6
SUMMARY FIGURE GLOBAL MARKET FOR GRAPHENE-BASED
PRODUCTS, 2009-2020 ($ MILLIONS) . 7

CHAPTER THREE: OVERVIEW 
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF GRAPHENE . 8
DEFINITION  8
HISTORY  8
OCCURRENCE AND PRODUCTION  9
Established Technologies  9
Scotch Tape Method  10
Epitaxial Method  10
Graphite Oxide Reduction Method  11
Experimental Approaches . 12
Metal-Carbon Melt Method  12
Pyrolysis of Sodium Ethoxide Method . 12
Production of Graphene from Carbon Nanotubes . 12
Production of Graphene from Table Sugar  13
Dissolving Graphite in Chlorosulphonic Acid  13
“Molecular Wedge” Method  13
Radio Frequency Catalytic Chemical Vapor
Deposition  14
PROPERTIES . 14
TABLE 1 GRAPHENE PROPERTIES  14
Electronic Properties . 15
Chemical Properties  15
Thermal Properties  16
Mechanical Properties . 16
Optical Properties  16
RELATED SUBSTANCES . 17
Graphite . 17
Graphene Oxide . 17
Carbon Nanotubes . 18
Fullerenes  18
GRAPHENE APPLICATIONS AND END USES . 19
TABLE 2 POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS AND END USES OF
GRAPHENE TECHNOLOGIES . 19
TABLE 2 (CONTINUED)  20
High-performance Computing  20
Data Storage  20
Communications  21
Thermal Management . 21
Photovoltaic Cells  21
Sensors . 21
Imaging Equipment . 22
Displays  22
Capacitors  22
Structural Materials  22
Other Applications . 22
MARKET SIZE AND SEGMENTATION  23
Market Size and Growth Trends  23
FIGURE 1 TRENDS IN GLOBAL MARKET FOR GRAPHENE 2009-
2020 ($ MILLIONS) . 24
Applications . 24
TABLE 3 GLOBAL MARKET FOR GRAPHENE BY APPLICATION,
THROUGH 2020 ($ MILLIONS) . 25
FIGURE 2 GRAPHENE APPLICATION SEGMENTS (% OF TOTAL
MARKET) . 26

CHAPTER FOUR: GRAPHENE TECHNOLOGIES FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTING
SUMMARY  27
TECHNOLOGIES . 27
TRANSISTORS  27
Graphene Switches  27
Quantum Confinement in Graphene Nanoribbons . 28
Field-induced Modification of Graphene Structure . 28
Ballistic Transistors  29
Graphene Nanomesh  29
INTEGRATED CIRCUITS  30
Graphene Interconnections . 30
All-graphene Integrated Circuits  30
PROPERTIES AND ADVANTAGES VS. OTHER TECHNOLOGIES . 31
APPLICATIONS AND END USES  31
COMMERCIAL STATUS . 31
MARKET . 32
TABLE 4 GLOBAL MARKET FOR GRAPHENE INTERCONNECTS,
THROUGH 2020 ($ MILLIONS) . 32

CHAPTER FIVE: GRAPHENE TECHNOLOGIES FOR DATA STORAGE
APPLICATIONS
SUMMARY  33
TECHNOLOGIES . 33
GRAPHENE SPIN VALVE  34
GRAPHENE NANOCABLE MEMORY DEVICE . 34
GRAPHENE NANORIBBON MEMORY  34
GRAPHENE-OXIDE-BASED MEMORY  35
PROPERTIES AND ADVANTAGES VS. OTHER TECHNOLOGIES . 35
HIGH DATA DENSITY . 35
Large On-Off Power Ratio . 36
Wide Temperature Range . 36
Radiation Resistance . 36
COMMERCIAL STATUS . 36
END USES AND APPLICATIONS  37
MARKETS . 37
TABLE 5 GLOBAL MARKET FOR GRAPHENE MEMORY
APPLICATIONS, THROUGH 2020 ($ MILLIONS) . 38

CHAPTER SIX: GRAPHENE TECHNOLOGIES FOR COMMUNICATIONS
APPLICATIONS
SUMMARY  39
TECHNOLOGIES . 39
HIGH-SPEED PHOTODETECTORS  39
AMPLIFIERS . 39
FREQUENCY MULTIPLIERS  40
PROPERTIES AND ADVANTAGES VS. COMPETING
TECHNOLOGIES  40
APPLICATIONS AND END USES  41
COMMERCIAL STATUS . 41
MARKET . 41
TABLE 6 GLOBAL MARKET FOR GRAPHENE COMMUNICATIONS
APPLICATIONS, THROUGH 2020 ($ MILLIONS)  41

CHAPTER SEVEN: GRAPHENE TECHNOLOGIES FOR THERMAL MANAGEMENT APPLICATIONS 
SUMMARY  42
FIGURE 3 GLOBAL SALES OF GRAPHENE THERMAL
MANAGEMENT APPLICATIONS, 2009–2020 ($ MILLIONS)  42
FIGURE 3 (CONTINUED) . 43
TECHNOLOGIES . 43
GRAPHENE NANOPLATELET THERMAL INTERFACE
MATERIALS . 43
MULTILAYER GRAPHENE HEAT SPREADERS AND HEAT
SINKS  44
PROPERTIES AND ADVANTAGES VS. OTHER TECHNOLOGIES . 45
END USES AND APPLICATIONS  45
COMMERCIAL STATUS . 45
MARKETS . 45
TABLE 7 GLOBAL MARKET FOR GRAPHENE THERMAL
MANAGEMENT APPLICATIONS, THROUGH 2020 ($ MILLIONS) . 46

CHAPTER EIGHT: GRAPHENE TECHNOLOGIES FOR SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC APPLICATIONS 
SUMMARY  47
FIGURE 4 GLOBAL SALES OF GRAPHENE PHOTOVOLTAIC
APPLICATIONS, 2009–2020 ($ MILLIONS) . 47
TECHNOLOGIES . 48
FLEXIBLE ORGANIC PHOTOVOTAIC CELLS . 48
POLYMER PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS BASED ON
SOLUTION—PROCESSABLE GRAPHENE AND P3HT  49
DYE-DOPED GRAPHITE/GRAPHENE SOLAR CELLS . 49
PROPERTIES AND ADVANTAGES VS. OTHER TECHNOLOGIES . 50
END USES AND APPLICATIONS  50
COMMERCIAL STATUS . 51
MARKETS . 51
TABLE 8 GRAPHENE TECHNOLOGIES FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC
APPLICATIONS, THROUGH 2020 ($ MILLIONS)  52

CHAPTER NINE: GRAPHENE TECHNOLOGIES FOR SENSOR APPLICATIONS
SUMMARY  53
FIGURE 5 GLOBAL SALES OF GRAPHENE-BASED SENSORS, 2009–
2020 ($ MILLIONS) . 53
TECHNOLOGIES . 54
CHEMICAL AND GAS SENSORS  54
Electrochemical Sensors  54
Mass Sensors . 54
Nanopore Sensors  55
RADIATION SENSORS . 56
BIOSENSORS  56
DNA-sensitized Graphene Vapor Sensors  56
PROPERTIES AND ADVANTAGES VS. COMPETING
TECHNOLOGIES  57
END USES AND APPLICATIONS  57
COMMERCIAL STATUS . 57
MARKETS . 58
TABLE 9 GRAPHENE TECHNOLOGIES FOR SENSING
APPLICATIONS, THROUGH 2020 ($ MILLIONS) . 58

CHAPTER TEN: GRAPHENE TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMAGING APPLICATIONS
SUMMARY  59
TECHNOLOGIES . 59
GRAPHENE FREQUENCY MULTIPLIERS . 59
GRAPHENE-BASED PLASMON AMPLIFIERS . 60
OTHER TECHNOLOGIES  60
PROPERTIES AND ADVANTAGES VS. OTHER TECHNOLOGIES . 61
END USES AND APPLICATIONS  61
COMMERCIAL STATUS . 62
MARKET . 62
TABLE 10 GLOBAL MARKET FOR GRAPHENE-BASED THZ
IMAGING TECHNOLOGIES, THROUGH 2020 ($ MILLIONS)  63

CHAPTER ELEVEN: GRAPHENE TECHNOLOGIES DISPLAY APPLICATIONS
SUMMARY  64
TECHNOLOGIES . 64
ROLL-TO-ROLL PRODUCTION  64
SPRAY COATING  65
TRANSFER PRINTING . 65
ELECTROPHORETIC DEPOSITION  65
HYBRID GRAPHENE-CARBON NANOTUBE FILM . 66
PROPERTIES AND ADVANTAGES VS. OTHER TECHNOLOGIES . 66
END USES AND APPLICATIONS  66
COMMERCIAL STATUS . 67
MARKET . 67
TABLE 11 GRAPHENE TECHNOLOGIES FOR DISPLAY
APPLICATIONS, THROUGH 2020 ($ MILLIONS)  68

CHAPTER TWELVE: GRAPHENE TECHNOLOGIES FOR CAPACITIVE APPLICATIONS
SUMMARY  69
FIGURE 6 GLOBAL SALES OF GRAPHENE CAPACITIVE
APPLICATIONS, 2009─2020 ($ MILLIONS)  69
TECHNOLOGIES . 70
PROPERTIES AND ADVANTAGES VS. OTHER TECHNOLOGIES . 71
END USES AND APPLICATIONS  72
COMMERCIAL STATUS . 72
MARKETS . 73
TABLE 12 GRAPHENE TECHNOLOGIES FOR CAPACITIVE
APPLICATIONS, THROUGH 2020 ($ MILLIONS)  73

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: GRAPHENE TECHNOLOGIES FOR STRUCTURAL MATERIAL APPLICATIONS 
SUMMARY  74
FIGURE 7 GLOBAL SALES OF GRAPHENE POLYMER COMPOSITES,
2009–2020 ($ MILLIONS) . 74
TECHNOLOGIES . 75
GRAPHENE-FILLED POLYMER COMPOSITES . 75
Graphene-polystyrene Composites . 75
Other Graphene-polymer Composites  76
TABLE 13 TYPES OF CARBON NANOTUBE AND FULLERENE
COMPOSITES AND THEIR PROPERTIES  76
GRAPHENE MATRIX COMPOSITES  76
PROPERTIES AND ADVANTAGES VS. OTHER TECHNOLOGIES . 77
END USES AND APPLICATIONS  78
COMMERCIAL STATUS . 78
MARKETS . 79
TABLE 14 GLOBAL MARKET FOR GRAPHENE POLYMER
COMPOSITES, THROUGH 2020 ($ MILLIONS)  79

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: GRAPHENE TECHNOLOGIES FOR OTHER APPLICATIONS AND MARKETS 
SUMMARY  80
TABLE 15 GRAPHENE TECHNOLOGIES FOR OTHER
APPLICATIONS, THROUGH 2020 ($ MILLIONS)  80
HYDROGEN STORAGE . 80
TECHNOLOGIES  81
Oxidized Graphene Sheets  81
Other Developments  82
PROPERTIES AND ADVANTAGES VS. OTHER
TECHNOLOGIES . 82
END USES AND APPLICATIONS . 83
COMMERCIAL STATUS . 83
MARKET  83
TABLE 16 GLOBAL MARKET FOR GRAPHENE-BASED HYDROGEN
STORAGE TANKS, THROUGH 2020 ($ MILLIONS) . 84
ANTIBACTERIALS  84
TECHNOLOGIES  84
PROPERTIES AND ADVANTAGES VS. OTHER
TECHNOLOGIES . 85
END USES AND APPLICATIONS . 85
COMMERCIAL STATUS . 86
MARKETS  86
TABLE 17 GLOBAL MARKET FOR GRAPHENE-BASED
ANTIBACTERIAL APPLICATIONS, THROUGH 2020 ($ MILLIONS)  86
RFID TAGS . 87
TECHNOLOGIES  87
PROPERTIES AND ADVANTAGES VS. OTHER
TECHNOLOGIES . 87
END USES AND APPLICATIONS . 88
COMMERCIAL STATUS . 88
MARKET  88
TABLE 18 GLOBAL MARKET FOR GRAPHENE-BASED RFID
ANTENNAS, THROUGH 2020 ($ MILLIONS)  89
CATALYST SUPPORTS . 89
TECHNOLOGIES  89
Reduced Graphene Oxide-Supported Platinum Catalyst  89
Nitrogen-doped Graphene Nanoplatelet—Supported
Catalyst . 90
PROPERTIES AND ADVANTAGES VS. ALTERNATIVE
MATERIALS . 90
APPLICATIONS AND END USES . 91
COMMERCIAL STATUS . 91
MARKET  91
TABLE 19 GLOBAL CONSUMPTION OF PLATINUM CATALYST
MATERIALS AND NANOSTRUCTURED SUPPORT MATERIALS
USED IN FUEL CELLS, THROUGH 2020 ($ MILLIONS)  92
TABLE 20 GLOBAL MARKET FOR GRAPHENE CATALYST SUPPORT
MATERIALS, THROUGH 2020 ($ MILLIONS)  92

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: INDUSTRY STRUCTURE
NUMBER AND SIZE OF COMPANIES  93
FIGURE 8 GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF COMPANIES WITH
PRODUCTION OR ACTIVE R&D ACTIVITES IN GRAPHENE (%)  93
COMPANY PROFILES  94
ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES  94
ALLOTROPICA TECHNOLOGIES  94
ANGEWANDTE MIKRO- UND OPTOELEKTRONIK GMBH . 95
ANGSTRON MATERIALS, INC.  95
BASF SE . 95
CVD EQUIPMENT CORP.  96
DURHAM GRAPHENE SCIENCE . 96
GENERAL MOTORS CO.  96
GLOBAL FOUNDRIES, INC.  97
GRAFTECH INTERNATIONAL, LTD.  97
GRAPHENE DEVICES, LTD. . 97
GRAPHENE ENERGY, INC.  98
GRAPHENE FRONTIERS  98
GRAPHENE INDUSTRIES, LTD.  98
GRAPHENE SOLUTIONS, LLC . 99
GRAPHENE SUPERMARKET . 99
GRAPHENE WORKS, INC.  99
GRAPHENEA . 100
HARBIN MULAN FOREIGN ECONOMIC AND TRADE CO. . 100
HRL LABORATORIES, LLC . 100
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORP. . 101
NANOTEK INSTRUMENTS, INC. . 101
NUPGA . 102
QUANTUM MATERIALS CORP. . 102
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.  102
SANDISK CORP. . 103
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS, INC. . 103
UNIDYM . 103
VORBECK MATERIALS . 104
XG SCIENCES, INC. . 104
ZS GENETICS, INC.  105
APPENDIX: PATENTS  106
PATENT ANALYSIS  106
TRENDS OVER TIME . 106
FIGURE 9 TREND IN NUMBER OF U.S. GRAPHENE PATENTS
ISSUED ANNUALLY, 2003-2010 . 106
FIGURE 9 (CONTINUED) . 107
TECHNOLOGY TRENDS  107
FIGURE 10 U.S. PATENTS FOR AND PATENT APPLICATIONS FOR
GRAPHENE BASIC AND PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES VS.
TECHNOLOGY IMPLEMENTATIONS (%)  107
FIGURE 10 (CONTINUED) . 108
FIGURE 11 U.S. PATENTS FOR GRAPHENE APPLICATIONS BY
TYPE OF APPLICATION (%) . 109
FIGURE 11 (CONTINUED) . 110
IP PORTFOLIOS  110
FIGURE 12 MAJOR GRAPHENE IP PORTFOLIOS (NUMBER OF U.S.
PATENTS/PATENT APPLICATIONS) . 111
FIGURE 12 (CONTINUED) . 112
TYPES OF ENTITIES . 112
FIGURE 13 U.S. GRAPHENE PATENT HOLDERS/ASSIGNEES BY
TYPE OF ENTITY (%) . 113
NATIONALITIES . 114
FIGURE 14 U.S. GRAPHENE PATENT AND PATENT APPLICATION
HOLDERS BY NATIONALITY (%)  114
FIGURE 14 (CONTINUED) . 115
SUMMARY OF RELEVANT PATENTS AND PATENT
APPLICATIONS  116
ISSUED PATENTS  116
TABLE 21 U.S. PATENTS ISSUED THROUGH DEC. 31, 2010 FOR
GRAPHENE-RELATED INVENTIONS . 116
TABLE 21 (CONTINUED)  117
TABLE 21 (CONTINUED)  118
TABLE 21 (CONTINUED)  119
TABLE 21 (CONTINUED)  120
TABLE 21 (CONTINUED)  121
TABLE 21 (CONTINUED)  122
PATENT APPLICATIONS  122
TABLE 22 U.S. PATENT APPLICATIONS PENDING AS OF DEC. 31,
2010, FOR GRAPHENE-RELATED INVENTIONS  122
TABLE 22 (CONTINUED)  123 -139