Britain is famous for tea and also for graphene. A recently published study combines the two. The study, called “Synergistic Effect Between Tea Polyphenols and Aluminum Flake on the Reduction of Graphene Oxide,” was written by a team of scientists in China. The publisher of the study—American Scientific Publishers—offers to sell you a copy of […]
Tag: graphene
Even more applications for graphene (continued)
The Nobel Prize in Physics 2010 was awarded jointly to Andre Geim (see note [1] below) and Konstantin Novoselov for their groundbreaking experiments regarding the extraordinary properties of two-dimensional carbon. Nowadays, the burgeoning cornucopia of applications is such that a 21st century individual can literally kit themselves from head to toe with accoutrements which feature […]
“Egg unboiling machine enables graphene battery development”
“Egg unboiling machine enables graphene battery development,” is the headline in Mining Weekly. The article itself says: The Australian researchers who successfully unboiled an egg are turning their attention to capturing the energy of graphene oxide to make a more efficient alternative to lithium-ion batteries. The Flinders University team in South Australia has partnered with Swinburne University of Technology in Victoria, ASX-listed First […]
Scientist who uplifted a frog did not support the Chinese brassiere
News reports say that Andre Geim (who won an Ig Nobel physics prize for using magnets to levitate a frog, and then won a Nobel physics prize for discovering how to obtain and study the virtually-two-dimensional form of carbon known as “graphene“) — discovered that a Chinese brassiere manufacturer is falsely claiming that he, Andre […]
Graphene + Coffee: Most glam substance, foodstuff combined
At last, at last, it’s happened. The most glamorous substance — graphene — has been brought to bear on the most glamorous foodstuff — coffee. Details are in this study: “Molecularly imprinted coated graphene oxide solid-phase extraction monolithic capillary column for selective extraction and sensitive determination of phloxine B in coffee bean,” Haiyun Zhai, Zihao […]
A Stand-up Effect on Dogs of Listening to Graphene Earphones
An innovative use of graphene, and of a dog: “Graphene Earphones: An Entertainment for Both Humans and Animals,” He Tian , Cheng Li , Mohammad Ali Mohammad , Ya-Long Cui , Wen-Tian Mi , Yi Yang , Dan Xie , and Tian-Ling Ren, ACS Nano, epub April 26, 2014. (Thanks to investigator Wei Ting for bringing […]
Geim’s surprises about (1) materials and (2) a historic hamster
Andre Geim, interviewed in YourIs, reveals two surprises, one speculating about materials he intends to study, the other about the existence of a predecessor to the celebrated levitating frog: Andre Geim: graphene is only the beginning Andre Konstantin Geim is the only person who ever received both a Nobel and an Ig Nobel [editor’s note: this almost — but not […]
Working to isolate graphene, on national TV
The important activity in this PBS NewsHour interview is happening in the background. David Kessler, co-producer of the Ig Nobel Prize ceremony, doggedly works away with a pencil and Scotch tape to try to isolate graphene. It’s a dramatic re-creation of Andre Geim‘s late-night experiment that led to the awarding of the 2010 Nobel Prize […]
Levitated frogs, graphene, and all that
BBC Radio 4 says: “Andre Geim values his Ig Nobel prize for levitating frogs as much as his Nobel for graphene.” UPDATE: The BBC posted a recording of the interview, with this introduction: Helen Grady profiles Professor Sir Andre Geim who is one of the most unusual scientists working in Britain – perhaps the world […]
Graphene From Garbage (and Girl Scout cookies and bugs)
Biscuits, rubbish and bugs in Texas raise hopes that Britain will grow a lucrative new techology-based empire soon, rather than just eventually. This is all about getting usable amounts of graphene – the two-dimensional form of carbon. An American experiment, so goofy-sounding that it has drawn little attention, points towards a cheap way of obtaining […]