'Thinnest and strongest' material ever could revolutionize our lives - but what is it?

A "wonder" material dubbed the "thinnest and strongest" ever found has the potential to change our lives for the better, scientists have claimed.

The nanomaterial called graphene is at the centre of a lot of conversations right now for a number of exciting health and consumer reasons.

What is graphene?

Graphene, which was first isolated by scientists in 2004, is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice and is just one atom thick (measuring 0.345Nm). This is one of the reasons why it’s known as a "wonder" material among scientists.

It holds a lot of impressive qualities despite having the thickness of one carbon atom. It is 200 times stronger than steel and is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity, it can absorb light and resists corrosion.

So far, graphene has been named as a possible way to improve electronic devices, including phone screens, as well as clothing, paints, and it may have the potential to create new and better ways to purify water. There are also suggestions that it could improve human wellbeing, such as in brain surgery, and there is active research into whether it can be used against cancer and other health conditions, however research is still underway to find out the long term effects.

Research on graphene

Dr. Mark Miller, from the University of Edinburgh, has been involved in these efforts to understand how the material could impact our lives as well as potential side effects. One recent study regarding graphene’s impact on human health found controlled inhalation of a type of graphene known as graphene oxide does not post short-term heart or lung risks.

The study involved “carefully controlled inhalation” of the graphene oxide, which is a water-compatible form of the material. There were 14 volunteers who breathed the material through a face mask for two hours while cycling on stationary bikes in a purpose-designed mobile exposure chamber.

Although the findings were promising, scientists are still working to find out if larger or long-term doses might produce different results. Researchers tested their lung function, blood pressure, blood clotting, and markers of inflammation. The findings showed a “slight suggestion” that inhaling the material may “influence” the way blood clots, but it is believed the effect would be very small.

“Nanomaterials such as graphene hold such great promise, but we must ensure they are manufactured in a way that is safe before they can be used more widely in our lives,” Dr. Mark Miller said in a press release about the study.

Graphene is a nanomaterial with a lot of potentialen.m.wikipedia.org

“Being able to explore the safety of this unique material in human volunteers is a huge step forward in our understanding of how graphene could affect the body. With careful design we can safely make the most of nanotechnology.”

Meanwhile, Professor Kostas Kostarelos, from the University of Manchester and the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2) in Barcelona explained why this study is so profound. “This is the first-ever controlled study involving healthy people to demonstrate that very pure forms of graphene oxide – of a specific size distribution and surface character – can be further developed in a way that would minimise the risk to human health.”

“It has taken us more than 10 years to develop the knowledge to carry out this research, from a materials and biological science point of view, but also from the clinical capacity to carry out such controlled studies safely by assembling some of the world’s leading experts in this field.”

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