One-molecule-thick material has big advantages

#1

Post by maxko87 » Thu, Aug 23, 2012, 2:10 PM UTC

One-molecule-thick material has big advantages
web.mit.edu

Re: One-molecule-thick material has big advantages

#2

Post by chime » Thu, Aug 23, 2012, 3:12 PM UTC

This may be a stupid question but can you even see something that is just one molecule thick? Is it mostly transparent?

Re: One-molecule-thick material has big advantages

#3

Post by othello » Thu, Aug 23, 2012, 3:32 PM UTC

chime wrote: post #2

This may be a stupid question but can you even see something that is just one molecule thick? Is it mostly transparent?

Indeed, from the fourth to last paragraph: "The material is so thin that it’s completely transparent"

Re: One-molecule-thick material has big advantages

#4

Post by Spytap » Thu, Aug 23, 2012, 3:37 PM UTC

chime wrote: post #2

This may be a stupid question but can you even see something that is just one molecule thick? Is it mostly transparent?

The short answer is "it depends, but it's most likely transparent." In this case, yes - it's transparent. In theory, it depends on a number of factors.

Re: One-molecule-thick material has big advantages

#5

Post by Spytap » Thu, Aug 23, 2012, 3:41 PM UTC

I wonder what the likelihood is of this being a solution for Augmented Reality contact lenses. The article mentions the possibility of it being used to build displays for eyeglasses, but that depends on a number of factors like pixel density that I can never tell whether reporters take into account.

Re: One-molecule-thick material has big advantages

#6

Post by Eduardo3rd » Thu, Aug 23, 2012, 3:44 PM UTC

I'm starting to grow a little bit numb toward all the revolutionary materials science papers that I've seen since starting grad school. I don't mean to malign the work done here, but if I had a dollar for every paper I've read that claimed to be the foundation for a new class of devices I'd be rich enough to start my own seed fund.

When will we see some actual commercialization of this nano tech? The nano future has been five years away for the last 20 years. Let's make some devices already.

Re: One-molecule-thick material has big advantages

#7

Post by draggnar » Thu, Aug 23, 2012, 3:59 PM UTC

Eduardo3rd wrote: post #6

I'm starting to grow a little bit numb toward all the revolutionary materials science papers that I've seen since starting grad school. I don't mean to malign the work done here, but if I had a dollar for every paper I've read that claimed to be the foundation for a new class of devices I'd be rich enough to start my own seed fund. When will we see some actual commercialization of this nano tech? The nano future has…

What is the path for this research to be developed into new products, and can new businesses be built around this technology? When can we start hacking with these materials outside labs in garages to disrupt the big materials companies? I these questions are the ones HN readers want answered.

Re: One-molecule-thick material has big advantages

#8

Post by pilgrim689 » Thu, Aug 23, 2012, 4:00 PM UTC

Eduardo3rd wrote: post #6

I'm starting to grow a little bit numb toward all the revolutionary materials science papers that I've seen since starting grad school. I don't mean to malign the work done here, but if I had a dollar for every paper I've read that claimed to be the foundation for a new class of devices I'd be rich enough to start my own seed fund. When will we see some actual commercialization of this nano tech? The nano future has…

"Let's make some devices already."

That's genius. We need to relay this idea to the science people. Is there a mailing list?

Oh! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nanotechnology_applicat... , Nevermind! :P

Re: One-molecule-thick material has big advantages

#9

Post by SoftwareMaven » Thu, Aug 23, 2012, 4:05 PM UTC

Eduardo3rd wrote: post #6

I'm starting to grow a little bit numb toward all the revolutionary materials science papers that I've seen since starting grad school. I don't mean to malign the work done here, but if I had a dollar for every paper I've read that claimed to be the foundation for a new class of devices I'd be rich enough to start my own seed fund. When will we see some actual commercialization of this nano tech? The nano future has…

I've seen "revolutionary technology" articles for the last 15 years. Some of the stuff does eventually trickle in. Most of it seems to influences and tweak existing manufacturing.

I think the problem is three fold: First, it is a really hard engineering problem to get from a logic gate on an atom thick sheet to something actually useful. Second, manufacturing processes are all tailored around the exists ting, so even if they figure out the material, they still have to build supply chains, which is really expensive. Third, they are dealing with incremental evolution of the existing technology along the way, which reduces the massive benefits seen when the technology first came out of the lab.

But I agree. More science fiction in real life, please. :)

Re: One-molecule-thick material has big advantages

#10

Post by gliese1337 » Thu, Aug 23, 2012, 5:18 PM UTC

So, it's widely produced as a lubricant already, but how would supply hold up if the market for the material hugely expands? One of the really nice things about the potential for graphene electronics is that you can be darn sure we'll never run out of carbon. Molybdenum, on the other hand, isn't exactly the most common metal in the world. Our electronics already depend on traces rare elements, but not as primary structural components.

So, even if we can make chips out of this stuff, will they actually be economically viable, and for how long?