But that's slowly changing. Following a graphene-based light bulb headed for commercial release being revealed earlier this year, now scientists have developed a graphene-based condenser microphone that is more sensitive than its conventional cousins.

The research team at the University of Belgrade in Serbia started by growing a graphene membrane around 60 layers thick on a nickel foil substrate using a chemical vapour deposition process. They then etched the nickel foil away and placed the remaining graphene membrane in a microphone housing to act as the vibrating membrane in condenser microphones that converts sound to an electrical current.

The housing was those used in microphones with a standard nickel-based construction so as to allow for a direct comparison between the two. The researchers found that the graphene-based microphone was up to 15 dB more sensitive at frequencies up to 11 kHz than a commercial microphone. However, the researchers say simulations they conducted for a 300-layer thick graphene membrane, which could theoretically be stretched further, suggests sensitivity could potentially be increased to far into the ultrasonic part of the spectrum.