Scientists from the University of Illinois claim that they have discovered a simple method to produce graphene - nanostructures of carbon that many scientists believe will be able to replace silicon as the material of the future, with high utilization
Scientists from the University of Illinois claim that they have discovered a simple method for producing graphene - nanostructures of carbon that many scientists believe will be able to replace silicon as the material of the future, with high utilization.
Graphene, a focus of vigorous scientific research in recent years, is a two-dimensional material consisting of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a lattice of hexagonal structures. It is the hardest material ever measured and has other unusual properties, including high electron mobility - a property that increases its potential for use in future high-speed nanodevices.
In the article, published in the scientific journal Journal of Materials Chemistry, the researchers report an innovative method for converting carbon dioxide directly into graphene with several layers (less than ten atoms thick) by burning pure magnesium metal in dry ice.
"The fact that burning magnesium metal in carbon dioxide gives rise to carbon has already been scientifically proven, but the production of thin-layer graphene as the main product of this reaction was not previously recognized and was not proven as such until our research," said Narayan Hosmane, professor of chemistry and biochemistry who led the team the study.
"The synthetic process could be used to produce low-layer graphene in large quantities," the researcher noted. "Until today, graphene has been synthesized by a variety of methods using dangerous chemicals and laborious procedures. Our innovative method is simple, environmentally friendly and economical."
The researcher explains that the research group initially tried to produce single-walled carbon nanotubes. "Instead, we were able to isolate low-layer graphene," he explains. "This finding surprised us all."
"This is a very simple method that has already been carried out by scientists in the past," explains one of the researchers. "However, none of them carefully examined the resulting carbon structure."
