Graphene - Miracle material of the 21st Century

[Remus]

Just found this news article talking about a new material called "graphene" which has the potential to start a revolution in the electronics and manufacturing industry.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/9491789.stm

Said to be the strongest material ever measured, an improvement upon and a replacement
for silicon and the most conductive material known to man, its properties have sent the science world
and subsequently the media into a spin.

"Our research establishes graphene as the strongest material ever measured, some 200 times stronger than structural steel,"

WHAT IS GRAPHENE?

-Graphene is taken from graphite, which is made up of weakly bonded layers of carbon
-Graphene is composed of carbon atoms arranged in tightly bound hexagons just one atom thick
-It is a good thermal and electric conductor and can be used to develop semiconductor circuits and computer parts. Experiments have shown it to be incredibly strong

One interesting application of this material is super strong flexible electronics. In the article it says Samsung has already made a 25 inch flexible screen prototype.

 

[Raziaar]

So what, they're giving the big **** you to spiders and their silk?

 

[Viperidae]

"You could theoretically roll up your iPhone and stick it behind your ear like a pencil," Professor James Tour, of Rice University

Oh ffs, people. Great science journalism. Really.

Once they build me a car out of the stuff, I'll be impressed. In the meantime I'm fascinated by economically viable ceramics, i.e. actual 'miracle materials.' Materials that actually are made in applicable quantities and work now.

 

[Warped]

read this a while ago, and its really promising. Its so weird though, quantum computing and light emission technologies all seem to be running towards the goal of being #1 in terms of fastest tech out there. And with Universities finding more and more ways to use science to our advantage even young people seem to be leading the way in terms of cutting edge shit

 

[KiplingsCat]

We learned about this in Condensed Matter before Christmas, our lecturer was pretty taken with it.

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

How long until we find out it causes super-cancer, though?

 

[ríomhaire]

How long until we find out it causes super-cancer, though?

Seeing as it has pretty much the exact same chemical structure as graphite (graphene is just one layer of graphite) which is what's in pencil lead I doubt it.

 

[Eejit]

Oh ffs, people. Great science journalism. Really.

It'd be cool if you actually read the article before complaining about the journalism. They have plenty of quotes from more skeptical scientists and engineers too.

 

[Unfocused]

I read something a few months ago that the article didn't mention at all - that graphene is a relatively new invention, but up until now it's production was unprofitable. Only recently scientists discovered an efficient way to produce it, making it a viable alternative to silicon.

 

[Stylo]

So, this stuff is gonna be in porn stars' boobs?

 

[Mr Stabby]

At my university they are making graphene transistors with internal RAM memory, so they behave like brain synapses.

 

[Doomination]

So, this stuff is gonna be in porn stars' boobs?

yep, and according to the article, you could put them behind your ears as pencils.

 

[15357]

At my university they are making graphene transistors with internal RAM memory, so they behave like brain synapses.

Hey, that's really cool. Are they trying to make a model of the brain, or have other uses for it?

 

[Mr Stabby]

It will lead to faster computers by integrating ram into the cpu. The technology is still in it's infancy, I don't think it's possible to make graphene cpus yet.

 

[Remus]

The main point that I like about news like this is that the development of ever more faster computers is assured to continue into the future. Whether it's the application of this material, 3d chips, or quantum computing further down the line.
So all those people that were predicting the end of Moore's Law can eat their words.

 

[Stylo]

yep, and according to the article, you could put them behind your ears as pencils.

The world we live in! Ear boobs! Brilliant.