Posted on 07/17/2008 7:03:43 PM PDT by Flavius
Graphene is the strongest material in the world, according to new experiments done by researchers at Columbia University in the US. The secret to the material's extraordinary strength, says the team, lies in the robustness of the covalent carbon-carbon bond and the fact that the graphene monolayers tested were defect-free.
Since "wonder material" graphene - sheets of carbon just one atom thick - was discovered in 2004, it has been shown to be an extremely good electrical conductor; a semiconductor that can be used to create transistors; and a very strong material. But now, Columbia University's James Hone, Jeffrey Kysar, Changgu Lee and Xiaoding Wei have shown that it is the strongest material ever (Science 321 385).
(Excerpt) Read more at physicsworld.com ...
Columbia University’s James Hone, Jeffrey Kysar,.....”Changgu Lee and Xiaoding Wei”..... have shown that it is the strongest material ever (Science 321 385).
AND THAT INFO MY FRIEND, IS NOW SAFELY COPIED TRANSMITTED TO THE PRC FOR THEIR MILITARY USE.
Rifle or shotgun barrels??
“Expectations for the strength of Graphene were dashed when Al Gore’s Graphene carbon-fiber suspenders failed catastrophically, permitting his stomach to emerge Blob-like, and engulf 7 unsuspecting bystanders...”
:(
I’m afraid that we are going to have to charge 1000 carbon credits for this technology.
It’s still carbon, just like the diamond; only arranged in a more perfect way. The covalent bond between carbon atoms seems to be the strongest there is. I’m still wondering when they can mass-produce the stuff and make things like aircraft skins out of it. Then it can have the amazing effect of surviving a high-speed crash to be flown again, after the former passengers are scraped off one inside wall.
“I’m still wondering when they can mass-produce the stuff and make things like aircraft skins out of it. Then it can have the amazing effect of surviving a high-speed crash to be flown again, after the former passengers are scraped off one inside wall.”
LOL!
Cool. Unbreakable cars, too.
“For Sale - Used Porsche. Survived three 120+ head-on collisions. Interior has been expertly cleaned, three times that we know of. Family of most recent owner eager to sell”
btt
I bet it would lower insurance rates, though (except for med). The inevitable will still always be just that...
Time to invent a stronger zot.
Cheers!
I bet it burns just great, though.
Hmmm, that would put Scotty's transparent aluminum to shame.
Wow, you could make light, nearly indestructible full body armor out of this stuff.
I’ll take 2 sets, one in matte black, one in white. Maybe a 3rd if they offer a good woodland pattern.
*snort* Y’all SO bad!
But how strong is the one-atom-thick piece of graphene?
Considering they can only do this on films about 1.0 or 1.5 µm across, I believe it will take a long while to scale it up to human size uses. Interesting.
We’re discussing this with our son, who is interested in this type of stuff. I was wondering if this stuff can be used as the ‘thin film’ for photovoltaic cells, instead of silicon, the use of which has made these cells more expensive to produce, because of the demand for it for the production of semi-conductors. Maybe this would lower the start up costs of photovoltaics, thus reducing the overall cost of generating electricity with them, over the life of the cells.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.