Graphene, the strongest material we know of, can now be made 100 times more cheaply than before, thanks to a team of scientists from the University of Glasgow, who used commercially-available super-smooth copper for it to form on. This could be the graphene Holy Grail that we’ve all eagerly awaited. Mass-produced, affordable graphene can transform the landscape of many industries and medical devices. For example, graphene could help to create artificial skin. This would provide patients with sensory feedback that would make their lives easier. Artificial limbs will be almost as flexible as real limbs. The graphene layer, which is a thin, single-layer of carbons, has a hexagonal pattern and is therefore considered a 2-dimensional material. The breakthrough was described by Dr. Ravinder Dahiya (team leader), who is a member of Glasgow University’s School of Engineering. Graphene is an alotrope of carbon with many extraordinary properties. It’s extremely strong, about 207 stronger than steel. It conducts heat and electricity efficiently and it is almost transparent. It is flexible and extremely strong. It was first isolated in 2004, graphene, a 1-atom thick (1-dimensinal), flexible and ultra-light material. It has many commercial potential, according to researchers. This includes lightbulbs and energy storage as well as applications in bioengineering, electronic, space, and aeronautical engineering. Graphene is prohibitively costly. The main problems with graphene have been its scale and high cost. It has been extremely expensive to make and it is not easy to get enough of each run. Scientists around the world believe that graphene could be commercially produced and would soon become a common product in many industries. Dr. Dahiya believes graphene can dramatically increase the quality of lives for people who have limb prostheses. (Image: University of Glasgow). CVD (chemicalvapor deposition) is the most popular method to produce graphene. This chemical process converts gases into graphene films on a substrate. The latest research by scientists from Scotland showed that they used the same process to make graphene on the commercially-available copper foils. This is similar to the ones used in the lithium-ion battery’s negative electrodes. The super smooth surface of copper makes it an ideal material for graphene formation. Their newly produced graphene was able to make optical and electric transistors that were significantly better than similar materials made from other processes. In a separate study, scientists at the University of Trento in Italy found that graphene can be sprayed onto spiders to create a super-bionic web strong enough for catching falling planes. High-grade graphene produced at very low cost Dr. Dahiya commented: “The commercially-available copper we used in our process retails for around one dollar per square metre, compared to around $115 for a similar amount of the copper currently used in graphene production. The more costly form of copper required additional preparation, increasing the overall cost. Graphene may be able to provide prosthetics that are flexible and conductive. This could make it possible for people to feel sensations in a way not available with other prosthetics. This study was also carried out by scientists from Bilkent University, Turkey. It was possible because of funding provided by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Councils (EPSRC), and the European Commissions. Citation: “Synthesis Large Area Graphene For High Performance In Flexible Optoelectronic devices,” Ravinder Dahiya and Emre O. Polat. Osman Balci. Coskun Kucabas. Scientific Reports 5, Article Number: (*_ Received: 16 May 2015. Accepted: 19 Oct 2015. Online publication: 18 November 2015. DOI: 10.1038/srep16744. Video – Graphene
