Hexagonal graphene molecular structure.

Ultra-sensitive graphene sensors capable of detecting disease biomarkers at extremely low concentrations could soon enable rapid medical tests, scientists said on the final day of the GraphIN 2026 international conference here.

Rohit Thakur of the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences, Bengaluru, described graphene transistors designed for ultra-sensitive immunosensing applications. The devices can detect biological markers at extremely low levels, potentially enabling portable diagnostic systems capable of identifying diseases from very small biological samples.

Rohit Thakur said the graphene transistors are produced using scalable techniques such as shear mixing and spray printing, reducing fabrication costs compared with conventional high-temperature graphene production methods. Using machine learning, the devices were able to detect biological markers linked to traumatic brain injury with high accuracy, highlighting the potential of graphene electronics for faster bedside diagnostic tests.

Another presentation by Titash Mondal of the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur focused on graphene-based sensors built from rubber nanocomposites reinforced with graphene. These materials combine flexibility with high electrical conductivity, enabling highly sensitive strain and temperature sensors.

Energy-harvesting smart fabrics

Mondal also described the development of self-powered wearable devices based on triboelectric nanogenerators using graphene–rubber composites integrated with textiles. Such systems can convert mechanical movement into electrical energy, opening possibilities for wearable health-monitoring devices and energy-harvesting smart fabrics.

The conference also highlighted efforts to develop indigenous graphene production technologies using Indian mineral resources.

Jayasankar Kalidoss of the CSIR–National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram, presented a sustainable process for producing graphene from low-grade graphite ore. The process involves upgrading graphite through flotation and purification followed by mechanochemical ball milling to obtain few-layer graphene sheets.

Researchers said the method can produce up to 200 gms of graphene per batch with relatively low energy consumption and without hazardous chemicals. The approach offers a cost-effective and environmentally friendly pathway for large-scale graphene production, which could support domestic manufacturing of graphene-based materials for electronics, sensors and energy applications.

The four-day conference concluded with a valedictory session emphasising the importance of international collaboration in advancing graphene and two-dimensional materials research.

Published on March 13, 2026