I used to wonder, what can we even use graphene for? A sheet of carbon only an atom thick, what use is it if it’s so small? But actually I’m starting to realise it’s possible applications. I watched a video on carbon nanotubes and just when I thought there were no more surprises, I find that rolling carbon nanotubes up in different ways gives you different electrical conductivities! Just by changing the rolling a little bit, you can create a semiconductor, a metal or a half metal!
THIS MAKES ME SUPER EXCITED!!!
I'm so excited! And I just can't hide it!
Hehe. Back to my point, this is very exciting! This means that from 1 element we can make conductors, semiconductors, and half metals!
WAIT, WHAT ON EARTH IS A HALF METAL?
Now this is something that’s super cool. A half-metal is any substance that acts as a conductor to electrons of one spin orientation, but as an insulator or semiconductor to those of the opposite orientation.
JUST ONE PROBLEM, GRAPHENE ISN'T MAGNETIC 🙁
But maybe we can make it magnetic? Well here’s where I get super excited again! If you add hydrogen to the graphene lattice it makes it magnetic! Here, just watch the video!