About this video

• Video Title: Professor Konstantin Novoselov interviewed about Graphene
• Channel: The University of Manchester
• Speakers: Professor Konstantin Novoselov
• Duration: 00:12:11

Overview

This video features an interview with Professor Konstantin Novoselov, who discusses the discovery and properties of graphene. He explains the serendipitous nature of its initial isolation, the decision to share the findings openly, and the unique characteristics that make graphene special. The interview also touches upon the broader applications of graphene beyond physics, including chemistry and biology, the development of 2D heterostructures, and the future potential for mass production and novel device creation.

Key takeaways

• Discovery of Graphene: Graphene was discovered through a "Friday evening experiment" initially aimed at creating a transistor from graphite. The successful isolation of a single layer was a surprising and significant outcome.
• Open Science Approach: Sharing the method for isolating graphene openly with other labs was considered the correct scientific strategy, fostering collaboration and accelerating research, despite the material's clear long-term potential.
• Unique Properties: Graphene exhibits exceptional properties, including electrons behaving as massless relativistic particles, extreme strength, transparency, and impermeability to gases, all combined in a single material.
• Interdisciplinary Applications: Beyond physics, graphene holds significant promise in chemistry (e.g., chemically modified graphene, 2D Teflon), biology (e.g., drug delivery, stem cell research), and material science.
• 2D Heterostructures: Combining different 2D crystals allows for the creation of new materials with tailored properties, referred to as "materials on demand," which can be designed and produced relatively quickly.
• Future Potential: While graphene is already replacing existing materials in some applications, the ultimate goal is to develop entirely new devices specifically designed to leverage its unique combination of properties.