graphene

The motion of single atoms through liquid has been caught on camera for the first time.Using a sandwich of materials so thin they're effectively two-dimensional, scientists trapped and observed platinum atoms 'swimming' along a surface under different pressures.  The results will help us better understand how the presence of liquid alters the behavior of a solid with which it is in contact – which, in turn, has implications that could in the development of new substances and materials."Given the widespread industrial and…

An illustration showing superconducting Cooper pairs in magic-angle multilayer graphene family. The adjacent layers are twisted in an alternating fashion. Credit: Ella Maru StudioThe discovery could inform the design of practical superconducting devices.When it comes to <span class="glossaryLink" aria-describedby="tt" data-cmtooltip="<div class=glossaryItemTitle>graphene</div><div class=glossaryItemBody>Graphene is an allotrope of carbon in the form of a single layer of atoms…

Scientists have developed a new electronic “tattoo” that can monitor a patient’s blood pressure continuously. The e-tattoo is made of graphene and can be worn for long periods without getting in the way, allowing for better health data.Having the cuff tightened around your arm in the doctor’s office is the standard method of measuring blood pressure, but it’s not the most reliable way. It’s only a single data point that doesn’t necessarily capture the whole picture, and it can be influenced by a person’s mood at the…

If humanity is ever going to curb our waste problem, we’ll need to get creative with recycling and reusing materials. In a new study, researchers at Rice University and Ford’s Research and Innovation Center have demonstrated how waste plastic from old cars could be used to make graphene foam that can then be used in new cars.The study advances a technique called flash joule heating, which the Rice team first demonstrated in 2020 to make graphene out of waste materials like food scraps, plastic and old tires. The waste…

Rice graduate student Kevin Wyss holds a vial of graphene and samples of the graphene-reinforced polyurethane made by the Ford Motor Company. Credit: Jeff Fitlow Rice University chemists working with researchers at the Ford Motor Company are turning plastic parts from "end-of-life" vehicles into graphene via the university's flash Joule heating process.…

Scientists have long tried to create new allotropes (forms) of carbon because of their versatility and usefulness for the industry. But only limited success was achieved so far. That is set to change now. In a major breakthrough, researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder, US, have successfully synthesised the long-hypothesised “next-generation wonder material” graphyne. An allotrope of carbon, graphyne is similar to graphene, which is highly valued by industry. In fact, the research on graphene was awarded the…

Snowflakes etched in graphene at Skoltech. The light areas are graphene, and the dark ones are oxidized copper. The snowflake pattern emerged as the surrounding graphene was etched away by carbon dioxide in one of the experiments before the optimal gas composition was found. Credit: Artem Grebenko/SkoltechResearchers have proposed the first <span class="glossaryLink" aria-describedby="tt" data-cmtooltip="<div class=glossaryItemTitle>graphene</div><div…

Water contact angle measurements of graphene give information about macroscopic wettability. On the other hand, the VSFG experiment can provide information about the microscopic structure of interfacial water and the wettability of graphene. Credit: Institute for Basic ScienceMicroscopic measurement of wettability can be achieved at the molecular level using ‘vibrational sum-frequency generation spectroscopy’ (VSFG).Wettability of the material is the ability of a liquid to maintain contact with a solid surface, and it is…

Tackling climate change doesn’t just require efforts like renewable energy – we need to clean up existing processes too. Now, engineers have developed a way to use soot from emissions to improve solar thermal devices, making them not only cheaper to produce but more efficient than using materials like graphene.Gathering energy from the Sun doesn’t have to just involve photovoltaic solar cells – collecting its heat can also be used to generate electricity, purify water, cook food, or warm buildings. The best materials for…