Did you
know?
In 1997 Andre Geim made
a frog levitate in a
magnetic field, in order to
illustrate the principles of
physics. This won him the
Ig Nobel prize in 2000 for
making people first laugh
and then think.
Magnificent molecules
Graphene
Ian Le Guillou takes a look at the atomic lattice with
remarkable properties
It’s not often that you can make a Nobel-prize-winning
super-material using the contents of your pencil case, but
then there isn’t much that’s ordinary about graphene.
Ethylene glycol
(1,2-ethanediol)
Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were awarded
the 2010 Nobel prize in physics ‘for groundbreaking
experiments regarding the two-dimensional material
graphene’. The interesting part of that sentence is
‘two-dimensional material’. None of the materials
around us are two-dimensional on an atomic scale.
Even a ‘flat’ piece of paper is still hundreds of
thousands of atoms thick.
One atom thick
So how can you get a truly flat, single layer of atoms?
Let’s look at the ‘lead’ in a pencil. This is not actually
lead, but graphite, a form of carbon. Graphite is made
up of layers of carbon bonded together in a repeating
hexagonal structure, like a slice of a honeycomb.
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Graphene is a single layer of graphite, making it only
one atom thick. Separating one layer from the others
is as simple as ripping flakes off a piece of graphite
using sticky tape. This ‘mechanical exfoliation’ was
how the Nobel prize winners first got hold of it during
their Friday night experiments, when they worked on
interesting topics outside their normal research.
developments in making these silicon chips smaller
and faster, many believe that we are beginning
to reach their physical limits. Transistors require
a semiconductor (such as silicon) and in 2011
researchers were able to make graphene act like
one without losing its impressive conducting ability.
Graphene’s conductivity and slim size could lead to a
vast improvement in computing power if it could be
used successfully.
Material of the future
There are still several challenges that are limiting
graphene from reaching its full potential. Its strength
may be fantastic, but we have yet to develop a method
for applying it to construction. Also, graphene’s superior
conductivity properties are held back by the need to
support it on silicon oxide layers. Neither of these
problems are terminal, which is why there is so much
excitement surrounding graphene – we know what it
could be capable of, if only we can use it properly.
Studies of graphene are being published at an
incredible rate. There is already talk of uses in solar
cells, transparent speakers and even distilling alcohol.
One day, the uses for graphene could be only limited by
our imagination.
Elephants on pinheads
Graphene has since amazed and inspired researchers
with its abilities. It is 200 times stronger than steel,
making it one of the strongest materials ever tested. It
would take an elephant, standing on a pin, to produce
enough pressure to break through a single sheet of
atoms. It has both the highest electrical conductivity
and thermal conductivity of any material at room
temperature. Despite being only one atom thick, and
nearly transparent, you can see it with the naked eye.
4 | The Mole | January 2013
thinkstock
One of the key hopes for graphene is to develop
an alternative to the silicon-based transistor that is
the basis of computer chips. Despite the incredible
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