Graphene wants to leave the laboratories

GRAPHENE

Technology

23/11/2014

El País: http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/11/21/ciencia/1416589047_242485.html

SUMMARY

Andrey Geim, director of nanotechnology laboratory of the University, proposed to his pupil Konstanin Novoselov to investigate waste the work of other researchers. These, to study the graphite surface layers cleaned taping and pulled as depilándolo imperfections. Novoselov noted that the remains were glued layers of graphene, a material one atom thick with properties that have since stopped giving no surprises. Stronger than steel, better conductor than copper and yet flexible, soon came to be considered a miracle material.

Graphene fever has not stopped rising in recent years and everyone wants to participate in this promise. For now, Europe is leading the publication of scientific articles on the material, is the region that contributes to their knowledge. However, South Korea, China and Japan will take much advantage in securing patents, intellectual property to leverage the value of that knowledge when they begin using to produce mobile phones, batteries or solar panels. Furthermore, since the discovery of this derivative graphite, have incorporated other two-dimensional materials with exceptional features that multiply the possibilities of this field. To avoid losing the race for control of graphene and their cousins, the European Union announced in 2013 the launch of the Graphene Flagship Initiative, a project that aims to unify the efforts of the major human teams of the continent, from basic research to large companies. With 1,000 million euros and 76 centers of academic and business research in 17 countries, is the largest program of R+D in the history of the European Union.

OPINION

Graphene is goint to be the most important material for technologies in a couple of years but not in this days, because it is too expensive to do products with this materials.

With graphene, mobile phones would be very advanced because it would have benefits with the battery, the flexibility of the phone and also with efficience and the performance with apps.

GLOSSARY

Photon: A photon is an elementary particle, the quantum of light and all other forms of electromagnetic radiation, and the force carrier for the electromagnetic force, even when static via virtual photons. The effects of this force are easily observable at both the microscopic and macroscopic level, because the photon has zero rest mass; this allows long distance interactions. Like all elementary particles, photons are currently best explained by quantum mechanics and exhibit wave–particle duality, exhibiting properties of both waves and particles. For example, a single photon may be refracted by a lens or exhibit wave interference with itself, but also act as a particle giving a definite result when its position is measured.