Graphene continues to amaze scientists with its extensive properties
The “magic angle” between graphene layers exhibited strange insulation & superconducting properties
Ever since the discovery of the “wonder material” in 2004, scientists have been intrigued by the range of properties exhibited by Graphene — a single layer of carbon atoms linked in a hexagonal honeycomb pattern. The one that stands out among the rest is the strength of the material despite having a simple two-dimensional structure. Although not a metal, it conducts electricity at ultrahigh speeds, better than most metals.
These are not the only properties though — back in 2018, researchers at MIT discovered that when graphene layers are stacked on top of each other, their electrical properties change. They figured that when two sheets of graphene were stacked together at a “magic angle” of 1.1 degrees, it could act as an insulator or a superconductor at the same time. This monumental discovery helped launch a new field known as “twistronics” — the study of electronic behavior in twisted graphene and other materials.
Last year, Stanford researchers added to the long line of breakthroughs for graphene, showing that graphene arranged in a specific way can generate a magnetic field. This was the practical proof of…
