About this video

• Video Title: Konstantin Novoselov at GYSS 2022 – Materials for the Future
• Channel: National Research Foundation Singapore
• Speakers: Konstantin Novoselov, Leo Jim
• Duration: 00:46:02

Overview

This video features Nobel laureate Konstantin Novoselov discussing the evolution of materials science, from graphene to advanced functional and intelligent materials. He highlights the limitations of relying on a few traditional materials and explores the potential of two-dimensional crystals, heterostructures, and smart materials for future technological advancements, including applications in electronics, energy, and medicine.

Key takeaways

• Graphene as a Platform: Graphene, the thinnest known material, serves as a foundational material and a platform for developing new designer materials due to its unique properties and versatility.
• Beyond Graphene: The field has expanded beyond graphene to encompass a wide family of two-dimensional crystals, offering diverse physical properties and opening new avenues for research and applications.
• The Need for New Materials: Traditional technologies are limited by reliance on a few materials; the future requires a broader palette, including composite materials and heterostructures, to overcome limitations and enable advanced functionalities.
• Heterostructures and Layer Engineering: Creating heterostructures by stacking different 2D materials, and even controlling their relative orientation (twistronics), allows for precise engineering of material properties and the discovery of novel phenomena like superconductivity and ferromagnetism.
• The Shift to Smart Materials: The future lies in "smart" and "intelligent" materials that are functional and adaptive, possessing properties like memory and the ability to respond dynamically to stimuli, moving beyond simply predetermined characteristics.
• Challenges in Complexity and Prediction: Developing complex heterostructures presents challenges in predicting their properties through theoretical methods, highlighting the need for advancements in computational approaches, including AI, to accelerate material discovery.
• Commercialization is an Evolution: The integration of new materials like graphene into technology is an evolutionary process, often slower than initial research hype, due to the complexities of retrofitting into existing infrastructures.

Graphene is currently used in a variety of applications, including:

• Composites: Especially in sporting goods, for its strength and lightweight properties.
• Thermal Management: As thermal spreaders in electronics (e.g., by Huawei) and for applications like noise absorption in car models due to its thermal conductivity.
• Audio Technology: In headphones, for its lightweight and stiff material properties.
• Electronics: As the material of choice for quantum resistance standards and in sensitive photodetectors.
• Batteries: Used in battery applications, with hundreds of tons being utilized.
• Cooling: In cell phones for cooling purposes.