Imagine a material both incredibly strong and remarkably flexible. Physicists at the University of Vienna, Austria, have discovered a way to make graphene, already known as a "miracle material," significantly more stretchable. This breakthrough, revealed in April 2024, could revolutionize wearable electronics and other applications requiring flexibility.
The team, led by Jani Kotakoski, achieved this by creating ripples in the graphene, similar to an accordion. By removing a few atoms, they induced bulges and corrugations in the material. This "accordion effect" allows the graphene to be flattened with much less force than stretching a flat sheet, making it far more pliable.
Crucially, the experiments were conducted in an ultra-clean, airless environment, preventing interference from foreign particles. Wael Joudi, the study's first author, emphasized the importance of this pristine environment. "This unique system... allows us to examine 2D materials without interference," he stated, highlighting how even minute particles can drastically alter graphene's properties.
Simulations confirmed the formation of waves and the resulting stretchability, validating the experimental findings. The discovery also explains previous contradictory results regarding graphene's stiffness. Foreign particles on the surface were found to suppress the accordion effect, making the material appear stiffer.
This newfound ability to regulate graphene's stiffness opens exciting possibilities. "The results open up a way to regulate the stiffness of graphene and thus pave the way for potential applications," concluded Wael Joudi. From flexible displays to biocompatible sensors, the accordion effect promises to unlock graphene's full potential.