The incredible properties and potential uses of
graphene could mean that it will replace silicon as the fundamental building
block of a new age. As well as being the thinnest,
strongest and lightest known material, graphene is flexible, impermeable to
molecules and extremely electrically and thermally conductive.
It has been used to
make water filters capable of purifying, desalinating and extracting minerals
from water much more efficiently than present methods, and fabric that is perfectly
suited for making clothing that must be breathable and well insulated.
Theoretically it could
be made to act as a superconductor at room temperature or to replace batteries
by generating and storing ‘solar power without sunlight’ as mentioned in my blog post on Found Haiku
Line 1: Although graphene
is simply graphite in the form of a sheet of networked carbon, it was
discovered and isolated for the first time very recently, in 2004, and the
synthesis of usable quantities is still very difficult and expensive. More efficient
methods of production are gradually being developed.
Line 2: The highly unusual
properties of grapheme mean that anything researchers are able to learn will
likely lead to unexpected applications in apparently unrelated industries.
Line 3: Research and
development potential appears to be unlimited.
