0.7 21st century technology, digital displacement, and the role of  (Page 16/17)

Whereas carbon 60 (the buckyball) and carbon nanotubes are three dimensional nanoparticles, graphene is a two-dimensional substance of pure carbon. Graphenes possess very unusual electronic and optical properties. And according to Nobel Laureate Novoselov, graphene is “the strongest, most flexible, most stretchable, most conductive material, and also is optically transparent.”

Until recently, graphene was described as the strongest material that could ever be made – about 100 times stronger than steel by weight and of equal thickness. However, research in 2014 by Jan Lou of Rice University suggests that graphene may be more brittle than previously thought. The slightest defect in a graphene ribbon reduces notably its strength. However, methods are under development to assure a very high degree of purity in the ribbons.

Notwithstanding this apparently temporary problem, the potential applications of graphenes range from desalinization of seawater, to lightweight and strong composite materials in aircraft, autos and satellites, and anti-rust applications. Also, it now appears that graphenes can be used to detect Parkinson’s disease, ordinarily very difficult to diagnose, and in the cleanup of nuclear accidents.

A mere recitation of recent published research on graphene would require many more pages then would fit in this book.

Here is a partial list just in the nano-info interface.

Thin elongated strips of grapheme with straight edges gradually transform from semi-conductors to semi-metals as their width increases. These are called grapheme nanoribbons. Tour et al. in 2009 demonstrated how longitudinal “unzipping” of carbon nanotubes could cheaply generate graphene nanoribbons for electronic applications.

Leavendorf et al. in 2012 have shown how graphene layers can be peeled off of growth substances and transferred to various platforms for atomically thin circuitry.

In 2013, Ye et al. describe a method for making graphene quantum dots from coal. The dots range in size from 2 to 20 nanometers.

Geo et al in 2013 report methods for batch processing of graphene in a semiconductor production line. This may allow accelerated technological applications of graphene in electronics as well as other fields.

In 2012, El-Kady et al. used lasers to reduce graphite oxide films to graphene that can be used directly as electrodes. Devices made with these electrodes display ultrahigh energy density values and mechanical properties, with potential applications in high-power flexible electronics.

Naritu et al. in 2013 demonstrate how graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) are excellent candidates for next-generation electronic materials. These graphene nanoribbons may prove useful for the development of GNR-based nanoelectronics.

Finally, nanoscientists have shown that they can rapidly produce large quantities of graphene using a variety of methods.

Feng et al. (2013) do so by using an electrochemical technique using organic salts and an electric current. And at Rice University, Professor James Tour and his colleagues have noted that most of the carbon sources used in large-scale production of graphenes are expensive purified chemicals. They have developed a much cheaper approach that uses six readily available carbon containing materials such as cookies, chocolate, grass, plastic, roaches, and even dog feces.