Graphene, the New Technology That May Completely Change the World, Is Now Also Available as Paint

Not the paint the art world deserves, the paint it needs.

Image courtesy © Graphenstone.

Stronger than steel, harder than diamonds, and lighter than any feather, graphene is a super substance that is taking over the world—and quite possibly your next painting. The scientific community has long considered the single-layered carbon compound the strongest substance in the world, and now manufacturer Graphenstone is making a play for the art world with graphene-infused paint.

The new paint is made with a base of pure lime—whose porous nature essentially works as an air-purifying agent, absorbing carbon dioxide and emitting no noxious fumes. UK distributor, The Graphene Company, believes the graphene iteration will be “the most sustainable and eco-friendly paint in the world,”  according to Dezeen. “It might smell a bit like wet masonry but you could put a baby to bed in the room and no harm would be done whatsoever,” said director John Folkes. The commercially available paint is part of a broader suite of graphene-infused products including primers, putties, and mortar.

The exterior of the Heredia Theatre (left), and detail of the interior frescoes (right). The Theatre's restoration project is part of Graphenstone's stable of projects using the compound graphene. © Graphenstone.

The exterior of the Heredia Theatre (left), and detail of the interior frescoes (right). The Theatre’s restoration project is part of Graphenstone’s stable of projects using the compound graphene. © Graphenstone.

Graphene’s efficiency in conducting temperature (200 times better than copper!) means that environments that rely on controlled climates—museums housing priceless paintings, for example—could be dramatically improved with a coating of Graphenstone paint. The substance’s other benefits—antibacterial, breathable, durable, pliable—have already lent themselves to the medical industry. But like other technological advancements, (LED lighting for instance), graphene paint may well carve out a place in the art world never originally imagined.

Graphenstone is based in Spain, where lime is plentiful, and restoration projects using graphene have already been launched at the Museum of Fine Arts in Seville, and the Heredia Theatre in Colombia.


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