Sunday, July 29, 2007

Paper made from a Graphite is stronger than Carbon Nanotubes but vulnerable to water

Carbon has interested the researchers the most in the 21st century for its stiffness and strength. After the invention of nanotubes they didn’t stop but developed carbon papers called super papers. This strongest material has only one problem. It is prone to destruction by water.

Researchers have recently developed paper sheets from a form of graphite which is a sister of diamond. They have found that the grapheme oxide particles bind together when immersed in water. This forms a layer like a paper sheet. The strength of this sheet surpasses that of the nanotubes which are currently known to be the strongest.

Unlike carbon nanotubes this can be manufactured to any shape and size. This makes it the most useful for many applications ranging from protective coatings, fuel cells to aircraft fuselages. It was reported that this paper can be formed cheaper than any other stronger material. The quest for stronger and cheaper materials is still ongoing.

But there is one trouble for this invention. The backlash is that this paper is vulnerable to exposition of water. The same water which has bonded the particles together will loosen them and causing their destruction. The next step researchers are taking is obvious. They are looking for finding other materials which can be bonded from any other liquid. Do you have any comments on these developments?

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