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The wonders of graphene on display

Researchers at the University of Manchester showcase graphene's remarkable story and potential applications. Visitors can interact with a virtual microscope, see real images of graphene, and learn about its unique properties, including superconductivity, transparency, and high strength.

Seeing an atomic thickness

Researchers from NPL and Linköping University have developed a method to identify graphene thickness using EFM, allowing for precise device applications. This technique is suitable for industrial environments and can be used to distinguish between one- and two-layer graphene.

SourceNational Physical Laboratory·JournalNano Letters·DateMay 24, 2011

Exotic behavior when mechanical devices reach the nanoscale

A groundbreaking study by Prof. Adrian Bachtold's team has discovered nonlinear damping behavior in nanoscale mechanical devices, which facilitates amplification of signals and dramatic improvements in sensitivity. The findings have profound consequences for the physics of nanoelectromechanical resonators and will enable significant ad...

New spin on graphene

Researchers at the University of Manchester have discovered a new way to interconnect electron spin and charge in graphene, enabling direct manipulation of electric current using microelectronics. This breakthrough has significant implications for spintronics, with potential applications in sensors, memories, and transistors.

SourceUniversity of Manchester·JournalScience·DateApr 14, 2011

UMD scientists make magnetic new graphene discovery

Researchers at UMD have discovered a way to control magnetic properties of graphene, which could lead to new applications in magnetic storage and spintronics. The team found that missing atoms in graphene act as tiny magnets, interacting strongly with electrons and giving rise to a significant extra electrical resistance.

SourceUniversity of Maryland·JournalNature Physics·DateApr 13, 2011

Is space like a chessboard?

Physicists at UCLA found that dividing space into discrete locations like a chessboard explains how point-like electrons manage to carry their intrinsic angular momentum. This concept, inspired by graphene's electronic properties, proposes that space at very small distances is segmented, rather than smooth.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateMar 18, 2011

Probing atomic chicken wire

Researchers found that graphene's electronic properties were significantly improved when mounted on boron nitride, a material almost identical in structure to graphene. The team was able to measure the topography and electrical properties of the resulting smooth graphene layer with atomic resolution.

SourceUniversity of Arizona·JournalNature Materials·DateMar 3, 2011

Tuning graphene film so it sheds water

Researchers at Vanderbilt University developed a technique to create graphene oxide films with adjustable surface roughness, leading to the creation of super-hydrophobic and super-hydrophilic surfaces. This could lead to applications in self-cleaning glasses, antifogging surfaces, corrosion protection, and more.

SourceVanderbilt University·JournalACS Nano·DateFeb 1, 2011

Graphene grains make atom-thick patchwork 'quilts'

Researchers imaged graphene grain boundaries using diffraction imaging electron microscopy, revealing that impurities are responsible for fluctuating electrical conductivity. Larger grains do not improve conductivity as previously thought, highlighting the importance of controlling impurities in graphene growth.

SourceCornell University·JournalNature·DateJan 5, 2011

Pure nanotube-type growth edges toward the possible

Rice University physicists have created a formula to calculate the energies of graphene cut at any angle, which could lead to controlling the chirality of nanotubes. This breakthrough has profound implications for nanotube growth and offers rational ways to control their symmetry.

SourceRice University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateDec 6, 2010

Physicists use graphene to decode DNA

Researchers are using graphene to develop a new method for decoding DNA sequences, which could lead to more precise medical treatments. The technique involves passing DNA through a nanopore drilled into graphene, allowing scientists to read out the chemical bases along the strand as they pass through.

SourceIOP Publishing·JournalPhysics World·DateDec 1, 2010

Columbia engineering team discovers graphene's weakness

A Columbia University engineering team has discovered how pure graphene breaks under tensile stress, revealing a novel soft-mode phonon instability that leads to mechanical failure. This finding is significant for understanding the behavior of low-dimensional systems like graphene and could lead to new ways to engineer its properties.

SourceColumbia University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateNov 30, 2010

Graphene's strength lies in its defects

Researchers at Brown University discovered that grain boundaries in graphene do not compromise the material's strength. The critical bonds along these boundaries can be as strong as those found in pure graphene when tilted at specific angles, enabling the creation of larger sheets with improved properties.

SourceBrown University·JournalScience·DateNov 11, 2010

Sugar and slice make graphene real nice

Researchers at Rice University have developed a method to produce high-quality graphene using plain table sugar and other carbon-based substances. The process, which can be done in just one step, produces large-area sheets of graphene at low temperatures.

SourceRice University·JournalNature·DateNov 11, 2010

Graphene gets a Teflon makeover

Researchers at the University of Manchester have created fluorographene, a one-molecule-thick material similar to Teflon with chemical inertness and thermal stability. The team hopes to use it in electronics, such as LED devices and ultra-thin tunnel barriers, while retaining mechanical strength.

SourceUniversity of Manchester·JournalSmall·DateNov 8, 2010

Measuring changes in rock

A research team developed tools to study supercritical CO2's impact on minerals, which could be affected by stored carbon dioxide. The new high-pressure atomic force microscope can observe changes at the atomic scale, addressing a key question about the feasibility of carbon capture and storage.

Triple-mode transistors show potential

Triple-mode transistors based on graphene can switch between positive and negative carriers, providing opportunities not possible with traditional single-transistor architectures. This property enables the transistor to be used in various applications such as wireless and audio signaling schemes.

SourceRice University·JournalACS Nano·DateOct 13, 2010