-
July 27, 2009 - Volume 87, Number 30
- p. 46
- First appeared online July 22, 2009
Latest News
Related Stories
- Preparing Large High-Quality Graphene Films
- Graphene Via Self-Assembly
- Graphene: Carbon As Thin As Can Be
- Introducing Graphane
- Graphene Sheets ... And Transistors
Topics Covered
Philip Goins/Northwestern U
Bright Idea In a flash, graphite oxide, a brown electrical insulator, is converted into graphene, a conductor. By using masking techniques, flash-reduction can be used to make the patterns shown at the end of the video.
* Macromedia Flash Player 8 is required to view videos.
Laura Cote/Northwestern U
SCHOOL PRIDE This logo was made by masking a portion of a graphite oxide film (brown) and exposing the remainder to light from a camera flash, which reduces the material to graphene (black).
No time to make graphene via conventional routes? Then make it "in a flash."
Northwestern University scientists have just demonstrated that graphite oxide can be converted instantly to graphene via photothermal deoxygenation by exposing the material to a pulse of light from an ordinary camera flash (J. Am. Chem. Soc., DOI: 10.1021/ja902348k).
Because of its low cost and wide availability, graphite oxide is a promising precursor for making graphene-based materials, which are being studied for use in polymer composites and electronics. The oxide is typically treated at high temperature or with potent reducing agents such as hydrazine to yield graphene.
Now, Laura J. Cote, Rodolfo Cruz-Silva, and Jiaxing Huang of Northwestern have shown in a video that the flash method is an instantaneous, chemical-free way to transform graphite oxide, an electrical insulator, into graphene, a conductor, at room temperature.
The team has also shown that by applying masking and photolithography methods, the flash technique can be used to fabricate complex patterns, a key step in developing electronic components.
- Chemical & Engineering News
- ISSN 0009-2347
- Copyright © 2011 American Chemical Society
Bright Idea
In a flash, graphite oxide, a brown electrical insulator, is converted into graphene, a conductor. By using masking techniques, flash-reduction can be used to make the patterns shown at the end of the video.
Philip Goins/Northwestern U- Chemical & Engineering News
- ISSN 0009-2347
- Copyright © 2011 American Chemical Society
Services & Tools
ACS Resources
ACS Careers
ACS is the leading employment source for recruiting scientific professionals. ACS Careers and C&EN Classifieds provide employers direct access to scientific talent both in print and online. Jobseekers | Employers
» Join ACS
Join more than 161,000 professionals in the chemical sciences world-wide, as a member of the American Chemical Society.
» Join Now!
Popular Sections
ACS, Analytical SCENE, Business, Careers, Economy, Editor, Education, Employment, Environmental SCENE, Letters, Government, Photo Galleries, Policy, Movies, Multimedia, Nanotechnology, Newscripts, Reel Science, Safety Letters, Science, Stem Cells, Stimulus Funds, Technology, Vaccines, Videos, What's That Stuff
