Graphene - New Material May Revolutionize Electronics

Discoverers of Graphene Win Nobel Prize

October 6, 2010 - Konstantin Novoselov and his collegue Andre Geim were just awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery of graphene. Graphene is a 1 atom thick wafer of carbon atoms that is as clear as glass and can transmit electricity. Its special properties could transform electronics, from solar cells to computers and sensors.

Geim and Novoselov's breakthrough came in a deceptively simple experiment in 2004 that involved a block of carbon and some Scotch tape. The two used the tape to strip off layers of carbon that were only one atom thick. These thin wafers of carbon, known as graphene, were found to have extraordinary properties. Tests showed the graphene layers were stretchy, as strong as steel and almost completely transparent. They are exceptionally good conductors of heat and electricity, properties that have made graphene one of the most exciting new materials for producing electronic components, from flexible touchscreens to pollution sensors.

Here's more from Ian Sample at Guardian UK.