Materials of Tomorrow: The Silent Revolution That Will Transform Our World

In a world where innovation is the currency of progress, emerging materials are about to revolutionize our existence in ways we are only beginning to understand. From graphene, stronger than steel and harder than diamond, to metamaterials with almost magical properties, these advances promise to change medicine, aeronautics, sustainable construction and much more.

Graphene: The Superhero of Materials

Imagine a material so light it could float in the air, but so strong it could support the weight of an elephant. That material is graphene, a one-atom-thick wonder that's poised to change the game in countless industries. With applications ranging from water desalination to the creation of flexible electronic devices, graphene doesn't just hold promise; It is a reality that is already beginning to materialize in everyday products.

At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), researchers have developed a metamaterial that defies expectations. Thinner than a human hair, this material can withstand supersonic impacts, which could lead to ultra-light, ultra-strong coatings or panels for vehicles and spacecraft. These materials are not only theoretically fascinating, but also possess practical strength that could be applied in infantry protection and beyond.
Materials such as graphene and metamaterials have a wide range of applications that are transforming various industries:

Applications of Graphene:

Electronics: Manufacture of microchips and transistors, flexible electronic devices.
Computing: Development of faster and more efficient computers.
Mobile telephony: Creation of devices with flexible and touch screens.
Energy sector: Long-lasting batteries and more efficient solar panels.
Armor industry: Ultralight and resistant materials for protection.
Medicine and Biomedicine: Drug delivery, tissue engineering, cancer therapy.

Applications of Metamaterials:

Optics and Electromagnetism: Materials with negative refractive index for various technologies.
Acoustics: Creation of materials that can make objects invisible to ultrasound.
Military: Stealth clothing and other camouflage applications.

Investing Companies in Graphene and Metamaterials:

Applied Graphene Materials: Produces high-performance graphene and sells powdered graphene.
Haydale Graphene Industries: Develops new processes to produce graphene and other nanomaterials.
Graphene 3D Lab: Focused on the development and commercialization of 3D printing technologies.
Samsung and IBM: They accumulate many patents on graphene and are investing in their research.
Repsol: Through its Graphenea project, it is dedicated to the development of graphene applications.
Energeia – Graphenemex®: Leader in Latin America in research and production of graphene materials.

We are on the cusp of a new era, where materials will not only fulfill functions, but also solve global problems and open doors to possibilities that were previously unimaginable. Research centers and universities are leading the way, with Spain at the forefront thanks to entities such as the Higher Scientific Research Council (CSIC), which is at the forefront of patenting new materials and nanotechnology in the country.

Materials such as graphene and metamaterials are of artificial origin, which means that they are not found naturally in nature, but are created in laboratories and research centers. Graphene, for example, is obtained from graphite, which is an abundant mineral in various parts of the world. The main methods of graphene production include mechanical exfoliation and chemical vapor deposition (CVD).

As for graphite mines, which is the raw material for graphene, they exist in several regions around the world. Some of the main graphite mining areas in Spain, for example, are located in Galicia, Catalonia, Extremadura and Castilla y León. Worldwide, countries such as the United States, Japan, England and Spain lead the way in graphene production and research.

Metamaterials, on the other hand, are designed and manufactured in laboratories, where scientists manipulate their structure at a microscopic level to give them unique properties. These materials are not “found” in a specific location, but are the result of advanced engineering processes.