Russia takes aim at US nuclear power by throttling uranium
Limits creates potential supply risks to utilities operating American reactors that generate almost a fifth of the country’s electricity.
Researchers from the US Northwestern University and Argonne National Laboratory have recently proved that graphene — the one-atom-thick carbon layer with extraordinary conductivity and strength— can be grown on a single-crystal silver substrate.
The finding, say the experts, could result in exceptionally pristine samples, which are ideal to produce ultrafast electronics and advanced optics. Last year, for instance, researchers from the Centre for Graphene Science added a one-atom thick layer of graphene to internet switches, noticing they became 100-times faster. But until now, the known methods for growing graphene on metals turned out to be unsuccessful, particularly with silver.
Graphene has been described as one of the newest wonder materials, showing promise in a number of fields due to its remarkable properties due to its strength, lightness, flexibility, conductivity and low cost. It has even proved successful for nuclear waste removal and to treat Alzheimers. However, experts say these innovations won’t be making their way out of the lab anytime soon.
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