Graphene : The Strongest and Thinnest Material in the World
Graphene : The Strongest and Thinnest Material in the World
For those who keenly follow developments in the scientific world, graphene is the latest invention to hit the world. It is the strongest and thinnest material known to exist. It is a form of carbon which can conduct electricity and generate heat in a more efficient manner than any other material known to man. It is also the hardest and most durable material in the world. It is also the most pliable. This material has the thickness of a single atom. It has been called the wonder material. Graphene can be a significant contribution to fields such as electronics and information technology. It is ideal for creating electronic clothing and computers that form an interface with the cells in the human body.
Graphene is the ideal material for making flexible devices. When it was discovered 10 years ago, graphene grabbed the attention of the scientific world. Two physicists hailing from the University of Manchester were given the Nobel Prize for their experiments revolving around this wonder material. Scientists have also developed methods for commercially producing graphene in recent times. In the year 2012, the American Chemical Society proclaimed that graphene is over 200 times stronger than steel. It is so thin that a single ounce of this wonder material could stretch to over 28 football fields. Chinese scientists have also created an ultra light material from gel.
It is called graphene aerogel and it is literally one-seventh the weight of air. What is amazing about this material is that a cubic inch of it can be balanced on a single blade of grass. This amazing material is transparent, flexible and conductive at the same time. These 3 properties all together at once are extremely rare to find in people. Physicists and researchers have also predicted that electronics industry will be revolutionized due to the emergence of this invention. Graphene has the capability of making electronic manufacturing cheaper and faster. It can be a better material then silicon. Experts even predict that it can be used to make batteries which can be submerged in water.
Scientists at the North Western University have made a wonderful discovery in 2011. They have found a battery which incorporates graphene and silicon. This type of battery can be used to make cell phones which need to be recharged for only 15 minutes so that they can stay charged for a week. It could also pave the way for touch screen electronics which can revolutionize technology to the state that cell phones can be made into pieces as thin as paper and they can slip into small and compact spaces with ease.
Sensors can also be built out of graphene. This includes gas sensors, biosensors and light sensors. These are ideal for those who want to use this material to make products that are the height of cutting-edge technology. Researchers at the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology working with a South Korean university have discovered how to create high quality graphene which can be placed on silicon wafers. This can be used for producing graphene transistors. Samsung has indicated that this material is perfect for making next-generation electronic devices.
Commercial graphene production has the ability to change the face of technology. Other companies such as IBM, Nokia, and San Disk have also been conducting research to create sensors and transistors using this awesome material. At Columbia University, researchers have found that graphene can be stretched for 20% while being able to conduct electricity. This is as flexible as rubber. This is a major contrast to silicon which can only be stretched up to 1% before it developed cracks.
Perhaps the best part about graphene is that it can be used to make all kinds of products in a cost-effective manner. Currently, it is really affordable to create graphene. Developing low cost technology is one of the most important aspects of growth and development. Materials such as graphene could revolutionize the electronics industry in ways that were previously unimaginable. Manufacturing companies should also capitalize on this amazing material if they want to make advances in production. Graphene is called the perfect atomic lattice by scientists because of its amazing properties.
