Graphene Flakes Boost Metamaterial Research
Material exists in three forms; Solid Liquid and Gaseous. The study of any substance does not get complete if you neglect any one of these phases. #-Link-Snipped-#- the wonder material available with scientists today had until now its semi-solid phase unexplored, but not anymore. Researchers at University Of Colorado and Rice University have proposed a #-Link-Snipped-# in liquid crystals which are aligned.
#-Link-Snipped-#
A single flake of Graphene oxide roughly 40 microns wide, seen under an electron microscope, sits atop a copper support. Such "giant" flakes form into a gel-like liquid crystal in solution.
According to the scientists, the liquid is full of special electronic properties like electrical conductivity. It can be used in various applications pertaining to electronics among others. The researchers are primarily focused on what they term as 'Giant Flakes'. ‘Giant flake’ stands for all those Graphene molecule groups that are 10,000 times wider than its thickness. They may be giants on a microscopic level; they are still minuscule when seen practically with naked eyes.
#-Link-Snipped-#
Graphene oxide flakes in a solution align themselves with a director, a dimensionless vector that represents the preferred orientation of particles in a liquid crystal.
Now people from both the universities are trying to test the possibilities and credibility of this phenomenon. Earlier scientists had witnessed the fact that Graphene when suspended in water formed a typical #-Link-Snipped-# liquid crystal or Graphene gel. It was however not known if its compound with oxygen can do the same. Now they have established that the compound can form similar type of gel with other liquids also even with commonly available water.
While macro testing the behavior of molecules in this gel, the researchers put some glass rods and Gold microchips and found that they are actually forced to align themselves in a particular direction. This gives us evidence about the nature of particles that constitute this pancake type of gel.
The team is searching for its possible applications. If the flakes of Graphene Oxide are wide enough, then they can be used for making carbon fibers which can have astonishing electrical and mechanical properties. Graphene as a material is used in many inventions during the last few years. It is also used to make gadgets like invisibility cloak. Graphene is found to possess strength more than most of the materials including metals. The discovery is published in Royal Society of Chemistry journal Liquid crystals of aqueous, giant graphene oxide flakes - Soft Matter (RSC Publishing).
#-Link-Snipped-#
A single flake of Graphene oxide roughly 40 microns wide, seen under an electron microscope, sits atop a copper support. Such "giant" flakes form into a gel-like liquid crystal in solution.
According to the scientists, the liquid is full of special electronic properties like electrical conductivity. It can be used in various applications pertaining to electronics among others. The researchers are primarily focused on what they term as 'Giant Flakes'. ‘Giant flake’ stands for all those Graphene molecule groups that are 10,000 times wider than its thickness. They may be giants on a microscopic level; they are still minuscule when seen practically with naked eyes.
#-Link-Snipped-#
Graphene oxide flakes in a solution align themselves with a director, a dimensionless vector that represents the preferred orientation of particles in a liquid crystal.
Now people from both the universities are trying to test the possibilities and credibility of this phenomenon. Earlier scientists had witnessed the fact that Graphene when suspended in water formed a typical #-Link-Snipped-# liquid crystal or Graphene gel. It was however not known if its compound with oxygen can do the same. Now they have established that the compound can form similar type of gel with other liquids also even with commonly available water.
While macro testing the behavior of molecules in this gel, the researchers put some glass rods and Gold microchips and found that they are actually forced to align themselves in a particular direction. This gives us evidence about the nature of particles that constitute this pancake type of gel.
The team is searching for its possible applications. If the flakes of Graphene Oxide are wide enough, then they can be used for making carbon fibers which can have astonishing electrical and mechanical properties. Graphene as a material is used in many inventions during the last few years. It is also used to make gadgets like invisibility cloak. Graphene is found to possess strength more than most of the materials including metals. The discovery is published in Royal Society of Chemistry journal Liquid crystals of aqueous, giant graphene oxide flakes - Soft Matter (RSC Publishing).
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