Graphene: Really is a Mysterious allotrope of carbon

Graphene!

    When we consider this allotropic form of carbon, by all measures this metal shouldn't exist. This is inevitable as according to the science we know, it is impossible for a element to be present in 2-D sheet Structural form at the atomic level which behaves as a 3-D solid element. According to wikipedia Graphene is an allotrope of carbon consisting of a single layer of carbon arranged in an hexagonal lattice.

Basic structure of Graphene

So what makes this element really mysterious? 

First the existence of the element itself is a topic to be thought about as this is only known allotrope of carbon that exists in 2-D sheet arrangement of atoms that actually behave like a 3-D solid and further its interesting properties though, like the ability of graphene to act as a superconductor above absolute zero (0 K). 

       It was found that if two graphene layers are sandwiched and twisted to the 'Magical Angle' they can conduct electricity without any resistance. This discovery may be considered as an breakthrough for all the research being carried out for room temperature super conductors. 

      This was not it. The recent discovery, yet an another magnificent one, amazed the physics world. A loophole, using which the graphene has performed its maneuvers of 3-D solid properties being an 2-D sheet arranged lattice have unraveled and this has hinted to an new source of energy which truely is unlimited. 

Graphene rippling

      The research afore mentioned has delved into the graphene's rippling, discovering a physical phenomenon at atomic level which can be exploited as an unlimited source of energy. The team of physicists led by researchers from the University of Arkansas didn’t set out to discover a radical new way to power electronic devices.

      We are all familiar with the element Graphite, which is mixed with some sort of ceramic materials which we use it in our pencils as 'Lead'. When we write with this lead, the element smears off and makes an impression on the paper. This impression is actually stacked sheets of carbon in 'Chicken Wire' pattern. For years together research was carried out whether it is possible to separate a single sheet of carbon layer for the Graphite.

      With science in and around it was made true. Scientists were finally able to isolate a sheet of carbon from a lump of graphite that were just an atom thick! 

 Interesting right?

  

  To make this happen, The 2-D material must be fouling in someway, acting as a 3-D material in order to provide some robustness. It turns out the ‘loophole’ was the random jiggling of atoms popping back and forth, giving the 2-D sheet of graphene a handy third dimension. 

   

In other words the 2-D material was not flat after all, There were some very minute vibrations in the stack such that the bonds didn't spontaneously unravel. 

   

          Physicist Paul Thibado recently carried out a research to measure accurately the extent of jiggling of these atoms.They laid sheets of graphene across a supportive copper grid and observed the changes in the atoms’ positions using a scanning tunneling microscope. It was found that the recorded vibrations were not in match with any of the expected models. They couldn't reproduce the data from one trial to the next.

    When the experiment seemed to be leading nowhere thhibado quickly turned the experiment into new direction and considered a different perspective to study the results. They have separated the images of each and every sub system and carried out careful studies over them. They were quick enough to find out that there was indeed a pattern which was quite meaningful in the regions under study. The team quickly found the sheets of graphene were buckling in way not unlike the snapping back and forth of a bent piece of thin metal as it’s twisted from the sides. 

       

              Patterns of small, random fluctuations combining to form sudden, dramatic shifts are known as Lévy flights. While they’ve been observed in complex systems of biology and climate, this was the first time they’d been seen on an atomic scale. 

       

       By measuring the rate and scale of these graphene waves, Thibado figured it might be possible to harness it as an ambient temperature power source. So long as the graphene’s temperature allowed the atoms to shift around uncomfortably, it would continue to ripple and bend. Place electrodes to either side of sections of this buckling graphene, and you’d have a tiny shifting voltage.

       According to the calculations suggested by thibado, a single 10 micron by 10 micron sheet of graphene can produce 10 micro watts of power. It might not be that impressive, right? But a 20,000 of such sheets can be stacked over a head of the needle. Thus it is evident that a small amount of graphite at room temperature can feasibly power an small electronic device like wrist watch FOREVER. Better yet, these can be used for bio implants which otherwise need a battery for their working.

     As fascinating it is, we've thought of being an witness for the graphene super conductors but they have turned out to be an unlimited power source. From the impossibility to exist graphene has proved to be an wonderful metal.

   Who knows? One day graphene might be powering the WORLD!