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View Caption + #1: A sheet of graphene is thin, just a single atom thick.
Top 10 Uses for the World's Strongest Material
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Graphene repels water and when mixed with polymer works as a rust-proofing coating.
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Graphene transmits the heat energy from an electrical current to make sound.
University of Texas / Ji Won Suk
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Computer chips with graphene supercapacitors could make batteries obsolete.
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Microscopic bits of graphene oxide bind to radioactive contaminants and could make cleaning up nuclear waste safe and cheap.
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The first integrated circuit made of graphene was made by researchers at IBM.
IBM
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A layer of graphene affixed to a polymer crumples and straightens when a current is run through it.
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Graphene foam can pick up small concentrations explosive compounds.
Nikhil Koratkar
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Graphene turned into a foam filter can be used to sequence DNA.
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A composite fiber made from graphene and carbon nanotubes is stronger than the Kevlar used in conventional bulletproof vests.
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A layer of graphene dotted with lead sulfide creates an ultra-sensitive and flexible photodector for night vision.
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Previous attempts to create superconducting lithium-coated graphene failed because the coating techniques introduced sources of instability, such as warmth. This instability made lithium atoms scatter around in ways that kept the graphene from superconducting.
Instead, Damascelli and his colleagues coated their graphene sheets with lithium in ultra-high-vacuum conditions at about minus 450 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 268 degrees Celsius), just about 5 degrees above absolute zero.
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Superconductivity relies on electrons not repelling each other as they do in ordinary materials, but instead forming delicate pairs that can flow through superconductors effortlessly. Electrons in these pairs are held together by phonons, or vibrations of the superconductor's atoms.
The lithium atoms enhanced the phonon-binding of electrons in the graphene, allowing superconductivity to occur at minus 449 degrees F (minus 267 degrees C).
The researchers do not think superconducting graphene will be used to develop more efficient power lines. Rather, Damascelli suggests it could be used in extraordinarily sensitive magnetic sensors known as SQUIDs, or superconducting quantum interference devices, which can scan brain activity with exquisite detail.
"It could lead to a 100-fold increase in the sensitivities we currently have," Damascelli said. "That's where superconductivity could really have a huge impact."
The researchers hope to better understand the nature of graphene's superconductivity, which could help them find ways to make it superconduct at warmer temperatures, Damascelli said.
The scientists detailed their findings online in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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