Uso de grafeno em aeronaves: perspectivas quanto à sua aplicação

Abstract

The aeronautical industry has been progressively replacing the materials used in aircrafts and their components for more efficient ones, an evolutionary process which is natural and necessary. With the advent of nanotechnology, it became possible to transform materials used in different fields of the industry, making them lighter, more resistant, and sustainable, e.g., the graphene. The graphene material has extraordinary mechanical, electrical, thermal, and optical properties, in addition to being resistant, light, flexible and elastic. Considering these particularities, this research aims to verify the applicability of graphene in aircrafts and their components. For such purpose, a basic qualitative methodology and bibliographic set of procedures were adopted. As a result, it became possible to observe that graphene, by presenting particularities related to its structure from carbon bonds, is one of the most versatile materials ever produced. Due to its versatility, it can be applied in different areas, which include saline water treatment; decrease in CO2 emissions; faster detection of diseases; materials of interest to civil construction; hair dyes; cheaper and more flexible solar cells; smaller, stronger microprocessors; firm, durable bike tires and lighter frames. The research has also found possible applications of graphene in the aeronautical industry, for example its usage in the replacement of structures based on composites and aluminum alloy; to be a battery component; to be used in coating, sensors, thermal actuators, protectors, processors, in addition to being able to reduce the weight (of parts or aircraft), to be used as waterproofing and to reduce the environmental impacts of noise and CO2 emissions. With so many uses, a prototype aircraft built on graphene has already been developed in Europe and is still undergoing testing. This aircraft is the Prospero and, among the results of its tests, is to fly with less drag, to be able to perform better thermal management and to avoid damage caused by lightning. It can be seen, therefore, that graphene is a very useful technology, and the country that masters its extraction, research and application will come out ahead in several areas. In this sense, it was verified with this study that Brazil is the second largest producer of graphite (based on graphene), behind China, and it is in third place in terms of reserves, losing to Turkey and China. Despite this, the country invests little in the development of products and in getting to know the material. In view of this, the European Union develops products and materials, including Prospero, and investment in the sector is high, around 1 billion euros. Given this reality, it is suggested as future research to investigate the use of graphene by Embraer, given the importance that this company has in the international scenario and the availability of raw material in the country.