In one of the incredible applications of graphene in the health industry, Scientists in the University of Manchester are developing ultra thin graphene condoms.  Though current condoms are almost excellent barriers of unwanted contaminants, they are heavy and thick — which is the reason they reduce sensation and probably why people do not like wearing them, no matter the risk.

Ultra Thin Graphene Condoms

The team of Scientists from the university has received a grant of £62,123 to work on the project from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation.  This is through the foundation`s Grand Challenges exploration program which supports creative projects aimed at improving health of people in the developing world. According to Dr Aravin Vijayaraghavan who will lead the team of scientists researching condom, if the project succeeds we might have an everyday use which literally will touch everyday life in the most intimate way.

The team at Manchester is only one of the 11 teams that received grants from the foundation to work on the project.  In their call to the Scientists on March 2013, the foundation sees the project`s success as what is going to be the next generation condom that enhances and significantly preserves pleasure.  In their proposal the condoms to be developed, must at least work well just like the existing condoms.

Graphene is a wondrous material with properties that make it the most studied material. It is the strongest, the best conductor, the thinnest, and to crown the most wondrous material known to man. Graphene was first, isolated at the University of Manchester in 2004 By Professor Kostya Nevoselov and Professor Andre Geim.   Currently several companies are putting graphene into use in develop the next generation devices.   The team of scientist according to a trusted source will use graphene with latex to develop a “nanomaterial” that could be used to make the thinnest condom.

With the experience, the team has on graphene we hope they will soon come up with a condom that will lower rate of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases transmission in the developing world.

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Pure Graphene

US researchers who worked on ways of making electrical contacts on graphene made two important discoveries in the process. Through use of a novel fabrication technique they have managed to create stacked layers of the finest quality of pure graphene yet. Simultaneously, they have managed to make electrical contact only along graphene’s one dimensional edge, thereby increasing the electron injection efficiently into graphene.

The two-dimensional structure of graphene makes it easy to contaminate, thus most of the techniques used when stacking the material within insulating material layers use specified polymers when picking and placing the sheets. The polymers are chemically sticky and rarely contaminate grapheme, thus enabling it to maintain its qualities. The research has disproved the theory that graphene’s ability to conduct would work far more efficiently was it to be confined to the edge of the sheets.

A team of Columbia University researchers headed by Cory Dean has appropriately addressed these problems. This was done by developing a process to create several layers of pure graphene encapsulated by several layers of boron nitride without involving extraneous materials. This was later on followed by exposing graphene’s edges to enable electrical contact.

On completing the assembly, a mask can be then be placed on the surface on top of this, and the sides are plasma edged away so as to expose the single dimension edges of the filling made of graphene. If there is need for electrical contact, the design provides that metals are deposited on the exposed edges.

Studies conducted further entailed research show one could efficiently inject electrons into the single dimension edge, and the studies have also proved electrons can fluently flow through the samples as long as the temperature is slow enough. Dean further argues this process can work well with a number of other two dimensional materials including the transitional metal dichalcogenides.

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Lunar Elevator

Scientists at Columbia University conducted a study which revealed that graphene retains most of its mechanical properties even when it has been stitched together from small fragments. This discovery may have been the first step toward large scale manufacture of carbon nanotubes, which could be essential in the manufacturing of the first space elevator, light – strong materials, and flexible electronics.

At the present moment, a practical breakthrough in the construction of a lunar elevator has not been realized. However, many scientists have performed experiments which show it will be possible through use of graphene. In these experiments, they have measured the strength of the microscopic carbon nanotube and proved it can indeed support the construction of such elevators.

The space elevator ribbon is constructed out of carbon nanotubes, which are at least 100 times stronger than steel but have flexibility equal to that of plastic. Scientists will only be able to make the ribbon to be used in the space elevator if they manage to make fibers out of carbon nanotubes. In the recent experiments, the materials that were involved were neither strong nor flexible enough to form such a ribbon.

Graphene ribbons have a very high tensile strength and very high elastic modulus, theoretically they are said to make the process of building a space elevator easy. There are two major ways that a lunar elevator ribbon can be built: in the first case a long carbon tube ideally several meters long will be braided into a rope like structure, and in the second case a shorter nanotube will be placed in a selected polymer matrix.

So far graphene is the ideal material for construction of the ribbon, the carbon-carbon bond in graphene is at least 0.142 nm. Scientists have proved that two sheets of graphene are held together by much stronger van de Waals forces than bulk Graphene.

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Graphene is considered the next generation material for solar panel construction where it is expected to be a primary component in solar cells. By coating it with a silicon film, it retains its transparency and conductivity, thereby making it the best material for making solar cells thus far. The Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) Institute for Silicon Photovoltaics recently conducted a research which proved this fact. The findings have opened doors for the use of graphene in the thin-film photovoltaics industry.

Graphene solar cells

Graphene is an ideal material for solar cells because it’s transparent, cheap, a good conductor, and non-toxic. The transparency quality makes it a perfect material for solar cell construction because it does not reduce the amount of incoming light.

The Michigan Technological University researchers have made various developments in graphene solar cells. In the first case, they developed a structure so that the graphene sheets are held apart by lithium carbonate; this method has attained 7.8% efficiency. In the second case the researchers have worked out models of solar cells from single graphene and molybdenum diselenide cells; these are expected to produce 1,000 times more energy than that of equally weighing materials. In the third case, the MIT scientists have developed solar cells by combining graphene and zinc oxide, and the cost of producing these cells will be cheaper as compared to other options.

Another major development has been made by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Mass. They have built solar cells using graphene and AuCl3, this is an organic photovoltaic with a high absorption effect, low weight and low cost. Since these organic photovoltaics are transparent, it implies they can be used on windows, thereby enabling you to tap your solar energy conveniently.

Other developments of graphene in making solar cells have been done by the University of Florida in the US. They have achieved the most efficient graphene based solar cell (at 8.6%) by making of dope technology.

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Manufacturers will soon be able to replace silicon with carbon nanotube transistors in making transistors used in electronic devices. This is because carbon nanotubes address most of the shortcomings that silicon has. Carbon nanotubes are the ideal replacements for silicon since they exist in several allotropes — each of which have a high potential.

Carbon nanotube transistors

Recently, researchers successfully demonstrated a working computer based on carbon nanotube transistors, instead of the conventional silicon ones. This promises much smaller devices that will be exceedingly fast while consuming very low power. Initially, researchers made individual transistors from carbon nanotubes, and later advanced to making simple electronic circuits. Eventually, they interconnected the transistors to form a low-powered “Turing complete” computer from these carbon nanotube transistors.

While this demonstration cannot be considered as a breakthrough, it can be viewed as the first fundamental steps to exploring with precision the possibilities of replacing silicon in the manufacture of semiconductors. It shows that carbon nanotube transistors can make a universal computer, just like silicon.

Some of the advantages of using carbon nanotube transistors to make computers in place of silicon are that these computers will be ever more powerful, much faster and cheaper than conventional ones. They also require less power to operate that the existing ones.

Since any new technology unveiled must meet the thorough factory processes that constitute the modern semiconductor industry, it might take not less than three years for this technology to be tested and perfected before it hits the market. Some companies such as I.B.M are already wary that silicon might cease to scale down further in its use for the manufacture of transistors. These companies have, therefore, turned to the possibility of using carbon nanotubes. This computer was made in accordance with the standard industry requirements such as those used to make silicon transistors. This means that it will be possible to manufacture hybrid chips from carbon nanotubes and silicon in certain locations/proportions to extend the use of silicon.

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We will soon retrieve data from a broken device, thanks to graphene oxide’s refractive index and fluorescence that can be manipulated.

A new material promises the possibility of recovering data even from a broken device. Graphene, the ‘wonderful material’ has unique properties that include; unmatched strength, flexibility, lightness, conductivity, and transparency. These properties make graphene to next big thing that will spearhead the next generation of gadgetry design. Graphene oxide has the same characteristics, but its refractive index and fluorescence properties, which can be manipulated, make it special in making media that guarantee your data security.

Graphene Oxide

Holographic storage of data has been the talk in science for a while now but graphene oxide has made it almost real. Researchers increased the oxide’s refractive index by between ten to hundred times. They also decreased the oxide’s fluorescence to make it ideal for bioimaging and multimode optical recording. This large refractive index means that data storage can be merged with holography. This would not only ensure that the data is securely coded but also that it is easily retrievable even from a broken device.

Most companies spend a lot of resources hiring the services of data centres or establishing one. These data centres spend a lot of money replicating information several times over (back up, disaster recovery snapshot, live copy, e. t. c). The commercial realization of this graphene oxide-based holographic storage of data will save a lot of resources that go into managing data in anticipation of loss.

The discs that are currently in use today store information in binary form. If the disc breaks, it will result in automatic data loss. This, however, will no longer be the case since the new technology means that a super-disc can be made that enables data to be retrieved even from broken discs thus saving the data centres the trouble of physically duplicating data to avoid data loss.

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The days of folding your tablet or phone to fit in a purse or small pocket are approaching fast with the unveiling of foldable electronics. Unlike bendable substrate-based flexible electronics, foldable electronics rely on foldable substrates that come with a very stable electricity conductor that can withstand folding. It means that the conductor embroiled on the substrate must also be foldable.

foldable-electronics

Researchers have already considered a paper as the ultimate foldable substrate to replace plastic substrates since it is cheap, versatile and can be rolled up.

In the past, there has been positive progress in several foldable electronic applications. For instance, researchers in nanotechnology have already been successful making foldable paper batteries powered by algae as well as printing solar cells on paper.

Perhaps one of the most promising paths for foldable electronics is the use of graphene circuits based on paper substrates. Researchers have been able to fabricate foldable graphene circuits for use in electronics.

Graphene is the ideal candidate for foldable devices since it has an inimitable combination of properties that make it ideal for making unique conductive ink since it is chemically stable, mechanically flexible and suitable in conducting electricity. An Inkjet-printable ink made from graphene will lead to cheap and scalable path towards real-world technologies.

foldable electronics

The creation of a high performance foldable battery and the development of graphene based electronic circuits means that future electronics will be flexible. Manufactures will now design gadgets differently since they will now be foldable or rollable. Screen will now be bendable around corners and computers will be wearable. Electronics will be paper thin and exceptionally light. Giant electronic manufacturers such as Nokia and Samsung have invested a lot in research and development of foldable electronics and have already demonstrated a lot of success in this field.

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Nokia Investing in Grapgene

Recently, Nokia (NYSE:NOK) was awarded a $1.35 billion funding for its activities in graphene in the next ten years. These activities are mostly research that aims at developing applications from the ‘wonder material’ that are tipped to change the world. European Union gave out the grant in line with its mission, which is to promote research in high risk areas, offset by the likelihood of a breakthrough which will have a high impact in technology or the social world.

The Finnish mobile-phone maker is a member of the Graphene Flagship Consortium that brings together 74 industry leaders from the private sector as well as academia who want to improve the world with graphene.

Graphene is thin, extremely light, flexible and resilient. This makes ideal for numerous applications. Nokia has a very clear plan for graphene. The company intends to develop mobile phones that are fully flexible and exceptionally light (foldable electronics). Since 2006, Nokia has been working on graphene. It has identified areas in which graphene can be applied to develop live-changing applications. For instance, graphene transistors, which can be manufactured in almost microscopic sizes, would enable the company to make a new generation of electronics with improved features such as smaller sizes and significant weight reductions. Nokia has been making positive progress and this grant will accelerate its developments. Moreover, given that this revolutionary material carries with high stakes, the effect of Nokia’s research could give Europe a much needed edge against similar research by rivals from Asia and North America.

foldable electronics

Nokia realizes the advantage that graphene comes with as well as its effects in revolutionizing the world of mobile phone technology and even beyond. In 2008, Nokia unveiled the ‘Morph’, a mobile phone built on the concept of flexibility and nanotechnology. Made from graphene, the ‘Morph’ is capable of changing into many shapes. Nokia is also researching on the use of graphene to coat electronic devices to make them completely waterproof and impervious to fingerprints. In addition, the company is also studying the possibility of creating television screens from graphene which are flexible and foldable, just like posters.

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Graphene foldable electronics

The number of future applications of graphene is almost going to be infinite. 

Graphene is a nano-sized wonder material with a massive future in the world of electronics. With its unique properties the material is effective almost in all areas of science. Ever since its discovery in 2004, graphene has been hailed as a natural speculate destined to transform the way we live in the 21^st century.  The amazing properties of graphene excite and mystify in equal measure.

One of the very first applications of graphene is probably going to be as a replacement for metals that are relatively expensive such as indium selenide in solar cells.  Graphene is a perfect replacement, because of its special properties. Being the best conductor of electricity known today and its super thin thickness it will be the most effective material to replace such metals currently used in solar cells.

With graphene we are going to see a new array of communication devices that also uses other two dimensional materials alongside graphene.  Products such as mobile phones are going to be integrated into stuff like paper, clothes, and in windows.  This means an absolute change and flexibility in the way we communicate.  With a thin material like graphene which is also ecologically friendly since it is made of carbon, we can’t help but contemplate of wearable technologies.

Another area that is going to be transformed in the near future with graphene is transparent displays.   It is going to be quite easy to have transparent electronic displays embedded everywhere.  Depending on desire and design you can have the transparent electronic displays in walls, windows, glasses,   and even in our floors. We need a transparent material to do all this and graphene is probably the only material currently known to man that is very thin and transparent.

Depending on the specific applications we are likely to see graphene products soon.  Use of graphene in transparent displays and in solar cells is going to be in the marketplace in a couple of years.

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Glowing graphene walls

There is a lot going on for graphene a one-atom thick planar sheet of sp2 bonded atoms of carbon.   This material that resembles chicken wire has unique properties that make it a wonder which will soon change the way we live and interact. Its incredible properties as the strongest and the lightest, plus its ability to conduct electricity and heat more than any other material so far known to man, mean that it can be integrated in a huge number of technological applications.

Initially scientists would foresee graphene used to help in improving efficiency and performance of current materials used in device, but this has changed, since in conjunction with other two-Dimensional materials graphene will form amazing compounds to suit a wider spread of applications.
One of the major applications of graphene we are likely to see in the near future is glowing walls.  Probably you will forget about those compact fluorescent bulbs, or even the fancy LED lighting.  Scientist from the USA and Sweden say they are developing lighting panels using graphene.  These panels will soon make the basic bulb that we commonly use redundant.

Being a super thin and transparent material graphene is to be fashioned into large and energy efficient sheets called LECS (Light emitting electromagnetic cells) that will cover an entire wall of room or ceiling.  This will fill the room with even and adjustable source of light.

Though OLEAD technology promises a similar lighting approach, the scientists say graphene panels are far much cheaper to produce. Also graphene does not contain metal alloy indium tin oxide that makes OLESD panels quite hard to recycle.

There is so far no word on how long we are going to wait before we can buy LEC panels in our local hardware stores, but we know one time we will need to replace our basic lamps with glowing graphene walls.

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