Since #graphene ’s discovery just over a decade ago, scientists have been exploring its remarkable properties and potential uses in a wide range of applications, including that of a superconductor. #Superconductivity is the ability of certain materials to enable the flow of an electric current with little or zero resistance. This is usually only achieved at very low temperatures, which makes superconductivity rather expensive and currently impractical for many applications. (RELATED: See more news about advances in science at Scientific.news.) Early on, it was theorized that graphene might have superconductive properties, but until now, researchers have been unable to harness its potential without involving other materials in the process. But now, a team of researchers have reported finding a method to unlock graphene’s superconductivity without having to insert calcium atoms into its latticework or place it on another superconducting material – the only methods discovered so far that were able to make graphene display superconductivity. Graphene is an amazing material to begin with – it’s a two-dimensional sheet of carbon atoms that happens to be extremely strong, flexible, lightweight, and conductive. It has the potential to revolutionize a number of technologies and its as-of-yet untapped properties include superconductivity – a theorized potential that now appears to have been confirmed. As mentioned above, researchers have previously only been able to achieve superconductivity with graphene by using other materials in tandem with it. The latest research, conducted by a team of scientists at the University of Cambridge, involved a new approach – one that not only showed graphene is capable of achieving superconductivity on its own, but which also hinted at confirming another postulated theory regarding graphene’s mysterious superconductive properties.
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