Graphene

Key Stage 4

Meaning

Graphene is an allotrope of carbon in which the atoms are bonded in a hexagonal arrangement in a single layer.

A diagram showing the arrangement of carbon atoms in graphene.

About Graphene

Graphene is a giant covalent structure.

Graphene is a single layer of graphite.

Graphene is a good electrical conductor because it only uses 3 out of the 4 electrons in the outer shell to bond with other atoms allowing the last electron to move freely around the giant covalent structure.

Large sheets of graphene are extremely strong which is a very useful property. A layer of graphene as thin as cling film could support the weight of an entire elephant.