Graphene was first isolated in 2004 by Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov at The University of Manchester. They used sticky tape to remove single layers from the surface of graphite and deposit them onto a silicon wafer. The isolation of graphene was a breakthrough for which Geim and Novoselov ultimately won the 2010 Nobel Prize for Physics.
In its purest form Graphene has a molecular structure comprising of a single layer of carbon atoms bonded in a hexagonal structure. Graphene possesses an unsurpassed combination of mechanical, electrical and thermal properties.
Graphene nanoplatelets are stacks of graphene sheets in a two dimensional nano particulate format and their properties are lower than those of a single-layer graphene. However, graphene nanoplatelets can be dispersed into other materials to enhance their properties.