~James Hone, Mechanical Engineer
Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, first isolated graphene in 2004 when the pair used plain sticky tape to to strip a single layer of carbon from graphite. They were awarded the Nobel Prize in 2010 "for groundbreaking experiments regarding the two-dimensional material graphene." Graphene conducts electricity better than copper and conducts heat better than any known material. Graphene is 200x stronger than structural steel, and much stronger than a diamond. It is also flexible. Consider a laptop you could roll up and slip in to your pocket.
Graphene is being compared to plastic - electricity conducting, flexible, extremely strong plastic. Although still in the early stages of research, the potential ranges from strengthening tires to replacing silicone. The hopeful future of electronics, using graphene:
The military and the business community have become interested in the R&D of graphene. Patents are being filed, and graphene is being produced with the ultimate goal of inexpensive mass production. The "graphene industry" is emerging. The future of technology and electronics hasn't been radically altered for a few years. I can't wait to see where graphene will take us.
Please follow the links provided below to learn more about graphene.
- Columbia Engineers Prove Graphene is the Strongest Material
- THE RISE OF GRAPHENE, by A.K. Geim and K.S. Novoselov
- What is graphene?
- Scientists make magnetic new graphene discovery
- Knighthoods for Nobel-winning graphene pioneers
Something else I learned: In addition to the consumer electronics potential, graphene could also make solar panels more efficient, semiconductors faster and aircraft much lighter weight.
Wow! This will besomething tht will be a blockbuster. Especially as oil runs out and plastic gets more expensive to make.
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