20. Graphene
What It Does: Everything Silicone Does, and More
Expected Rollout: Multiple Application Currently Available
For quite some time, if someone wanted to make it in the high-tech industry, Silicon Valley was the place to be, but as the times, and technology, have progressed, that might not be quite as true as it used to be. As more research is being done, it’s become more evident than ever that Graphene might be the material of the future.
Graphene ©Tatiana Shepeleva / Shutterstock.com
Graphene is extremely flexible, light as air, and yet quite a bit stronger than steel. It can withstand an enormous amount of stress, yet its girth is only as thick as one carbon atom. Graphene even offers protection against mosquitos (they don’t even land on a spot that’s been sprayed with a Graphene compound). Its cost is a little high, coming in at $110 to $440 per pound, but considering its multi-purpose functionality, we think it’s well worth the price.