Graphene Ink (IMAGE)
Caption
The 'Wonder material' graphene is a sheet form of carbon that is a single atom thick. Among its many remarkable properties it is a superb conductor of electricity. However, it is difficult to mass-produce. One way to overcome this problem is to process powdered graphite in alcohol to produce conductive ink, which can be used in inkjet printers to print electrical circuits on paper. Alternatively, other chemicals can be added to it so that it can be used for screen printing on bendable plastic sheets to make components for flexible electronics. The ink in this photo is forced at high pressure through micrometre-scale capillaries made of diamond. This rips the layers apart and we end up with a smooth, conductive material in solution.
Credit
James Macleod, University of Cambridge/EPSRC
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