Scientists Mix Graphene and Diamonds to Make New Material

Phys.org reported that scientists at the US Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory have used graphene and diamonds to create a new material that demonstrates “superlubricity,” a rare phenomenon.

As quoted in the market news:

Led by nanoscientist Ani Sumant of Argonne’s Center for Nanoscale Materials (CNM) and Argonne Distinguished Fellow Ali Erdemir of Argonne’s Energy Systems Division, the five-person Argonne team combined diamond nanoparticles, small patches of graphene – a two-dimensional single-sheet form of pure carbon – and a diamond-like carbon material to create superlubricity, a highly-desirable property in which friction drops to near zero.

According to Erdemir, as the graphene patches and diamond particles rub up against a large diamond-like carbon surface, the graphene rolls itself around the diamond particle, creating something that looks like a ball bearing on the nanoscopic level. ‘The interaction between the graphene and the diamond-like carbon is essential for creating the ‘superlubricity’ effect,’ he said. ‘The two materials depend on each other.’

Click here to read the full Phys.org report.