Comments on: Graphene: Nanotechnology crowd is agog

By: Christine Peterson

Christine Peterson — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 23:48:10 +0000

Thanks for that useful clarification, AK! —Christine

By: AK

AK — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 01:29:24 +0000

Of course, it’s not truly two-dimensional — it’s one atom thick, not zero atoms thick — but close enough

Actually it truly is a two-dimensional crystal, which, , in Condensed Matter theory, is all that matters. Due to the symmetry of the problem, the electron sees a two dimensional periodic potential, which in turn gives graphene the properties of a true two dimensional metal. The “thickness” is immaterial.

Far more important is the presence of the substrate, which breaks the mirror symmetry of the graphene plane, and defects or impurities in or on the graphene, which can break the two-dimensional translational symmetry.

By: VV

VV — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 11:05:32 +0000

PS Check out also work being done by Rodney Ruoff (NWU), Larry Drzal (MSU), Robert Prud’homme (Princeton). These guys are graphene buffs, steady research on for a while now.

By: VV

VV — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 10:59:48 +0000

Graphene’s very promising, but don’t get too carried away just yet. We need to see if these materials can be produced on the pilot scale first. Once that’s possible, end users can start experimenting with it, and learn how to use it.

This may not be possible in the near term (say three years). Until that happens, there’s a long wait until graphene’s productivity and/or usefulness can be confirmed in the first place.

Not to rain on anyone’s parade, here, but it is worth noting for pragmatism’s sake.

By: Jim C

Jim C — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 17:49:12 +0000

They can’t make it stable at larger sizes because it pulls itself together in bunches. Perhaps repels random sections is a better description. Might be a way to solve that it that may not be a problem with layers or with some form of applied charges.

Some thoughts on similar materials here.

http://dcssec.blogspot.com/search?q=nanotubes

By: Charles H. Tankersley

Charles H. Tankersley — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 15:00:25 +0000

It seems to me that a hexagonal lattice would leave one electron free on each carbon atom for binding, say, in a carbon fiber composite. This, then could present one of the strongest of all fabrication and/or construction materials known to man. It could be extra light, extra thin, with enhanced electrical properties. This looks like it can be the ideal material for construction of space vehicles and earthbound building, vehicles, and energy devices.