Created material based on graphene, which is 10 times stronger than steel Bashny.Net

Graphene is known to all much like the first two-dimensional material obtained by scientists. However, it is the thinnest two-dimensional planar structure is an obstacle to the use of a number of amazing properties of graphene, high mechanical strength, lightness and excellent conduction towards heat and electricity.

Not long ago, scientists from mit have developed a new three-dimensional material based on graphene, which is 10 times stronger than steel, and now scientists from rice University, continuing previous work, created material based on graphene reinforced with carbon nanotubes. The resulting "foam" can be utformingen compression and can withstand without changes in its structure, the impact of weight in 3 thousand times its own weight.



The basis of the strength of the new material are carbon nanotubes with multiple concentric shells, a kind of nanotubes within nanotubes. In order to combine garden with nanotubes, the researchers used the nanotube powder is mixed with a Nickel catalyst and a sugar, which was the source of additional carbon. The resulting mixture was placed under high pressure by squeezing by means of a screw, and sent into the furnace, where they maintain a specified high temperature.

The sugar in the mixture broke up into carbon and other constituent parts, and the carbon under the influence of the catalyst was applied to the graphene. The resulting billet was purified from the Nickel and other impurities by chemical means, what is left in the hands of scientists the structure of the foam material composed of pure carbon.
 



When samples of the resulting material was placed under an electron microscope, the scientists saw that the outer layers of nanotubes blossomed, like one of their sides, "my snake", and merged with graphene, which was the result of a process of deposition of carbon from the vapor phase. As a result of high coupling between the elements of this material it is, the material can withstand without changes in the structure weight, in 3 thousand times its own weight.

And under the influence of the weight of 8500 times greater than its weight, the material structure is deformed by 25 percent of the initial size. And, after unloading, the material completely recovers its original shape. For comparison, the "foam" consisting of graphene, not fortified with carbon nanotubes can withstand the force of just 150 times its own weight.



As mentioned above, the new carbon foam material may be molded in any way. To demonstrate this, the researchers made the new material samples of electrodes for lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors, which possess high mechanical strength, chemical stability and a large value of the effective surface area. published

 

P. S. And remember, only by changing their consumption — together we change the world! ©

Source: ecotechnology