A very thin layer of pure carbon is called graphene and it is a single, firmly packed sheet of carbon atoms that are bound together in a lattice that is shaped in a hexagonal honeycomb form; in a scientific terminology, graphene is a carbon allotrope in a plane structure of sp2 bonded atoms, along with a molecular bond with a measurement in length of 0.142nm (nanometers).
Experts are fast devising and inventing a variety of fresh materials yet details about these inventions are rarely heard since they are not really that interesting especially to the public. Graphene has been discovered in the year 2004 and has become a star among engineers and experts because of the graphene properties that are highly notable and remarkable. Aside from these, graphene also has other extraordinary properties such as this being about a hundred times stronger compared to the most durable steel; moreover, graphene effectively conducts electricity and heat, plus it is also close to being transparent.
Based on research, experts have recognized the ballistic transport of charges, a transistor effect, and also, a large quantum oscillation found within the material; additionally, the material also has a highly unusual electronic property. Listed here are a few outstanding graphene properties:
Because of graphene’s simple and orderly structure, it is considered a very pure substance because of its tight atomic bonding. Since carbon is non-metal, people may assume that graphene may be non-metal as well; in fact, graphene acts more like a metal even if it conducts electricity in a highly different manner. Because of this, scientists have described graphene to be a semimetal or graphene semiconductor – a material that is in between an insulator and a conductor like germanium or silicone.
Durability and Stiffness
Graphite is extremely soft, especially when it is found in soft pencils; this is because of the carbon layers present inside the graphite stick in a pencil which shaves off very quickly and easily. However, the atoms found in those layers are all firmly bonded so just like the carbon nanotubes, graphene is actually very strong – even stronger than diamond.
It is believed that graphene is one of the strongest materials that have been discovered where graphene is about two hundred times stronger compared to steel. This element is both elastic and stiff just like rubber, so it can be stretched up to twenty-five percent of its original length without even breaking. The reason for this is its flat surface of carbon atoms present in graphene which can relatively flex and stretch easily without any of the atoms breaking up.
Materials that easily conduct heat can also conduct electricity well since both of the methods transport energy by the use of electrons. The graphene structure (which is a flat hexagonal lattice) provides a very low resistance to electrons which easily zips through graphene quickly; here, it allows electricity to flow even better than the most excellent conductors present such as copper and most of the superconductors around. Dissimilar to semiconductors, the highly notable graphene conductivity functions adequately at room temperature whereas superconductors are required to be cooled to decrease the temperature.
Graphene sheets have tightly knit carbon atoms which allow the element to work like very fine atomic nets which prevent other materials from passing through, thus making graphene highly beneficial for detecting and trapping gases. Considering that impermeability is one of the highly unique and notable graphene properties, this element could possibly help create fuel-cell cars that run on hydrogen, making this idea an even more viable prospect when it comes to safety since using mainly hydrogen for fuel in electric cars is quite difficult to store with caution.