It’s only a matter of time before the wonder material graphene takes over the world. 200x stronger than streel and a million times thinner than a piece of paper, graphene has several unique properties that could enable it to impact nearly every walk of life. Starting with your wardrobe. That’s right. The first place that Graphene could make its presence felt is in your closet thanks to its inclusion in a new jacket that could revolutionize the fashion industry.
According to Fast Company, “At 595 euros ($695) a pop, Vollebak’s new graphene jacket isn’t for everyone. But if even half of what its creators promise is true, it could be worth every cent. According to the company, it shares many of the magical properties of graphene–absorbing heat and then warming you up over time, conducting electricity, repelling bacteria, and dissipating your body’s excess humidity.”
But that’s not all. We’re only just scratching the surface of what Graphene can do. As Fast Company explains:
“Its diverse uses are seemingly endless: It can stop a bullet if you add enough layers. It can change the color of your hair with no adverse effects. It can turn the walls of your home into a giant fire detector. ‘It’s so strong and so stretchy that the fibers of a spider web coated in graphene could catch a falling plane,” as Vollebak puts it in its marketing materials.’
Intrigued by these latest extravagant claims I did some digging and found out that, yes, Graphene’s latest tricks really are as amazing as they sound. First off, in regards to the graphene based hair dye:
“This is how it works: The user applies the graphene dye using a spray, then brushes the hair and dries it. The graphene forms a gentle film around each and every hair strand. Like in a sci-fi movie, your hair will change color before your very eyes as the sheets of graphene attach themselves to your mane. And since the research team says their method doesn’t require toxic solvents, or molecular ingredients, or extreme heat, you don’t have to worry about damaging your hair, skin, or yourself. The color lasts for at least 30 washes, like what you expect from any conventional chemical-based dye. The graphene material will disappear leaving your hair in the exact same state as it was when you applied it.”
But that’s not all.
“The wallpaper comes from China’s Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, where Professor Ying-Jie Zhu and his team are experimenting with graphene applications. Their research, recently published in the journal ACS Nano, describes how they weaved the wallpaper using two types of inorganic materials. The first is ultra-long hydroxyapatite nanowires, which are tiny threads made from a mineral form of calcium apatite commonly found in teeth and bones. The other one is threads of graphene oxide, a form of graphene that can be mixed with other materials.
Both materials are fire-resistant, but it’s the latter that turns this fire-resistant wallpaper into a fire alarm. That’s because graphene oxide is an electrical insulator at room temperature–but when it’s heated to high temperatures, it becomes conductive. In their design, graphene oxide sensors woven into the wallpaper are connected to an alarm system. When it’s exposed to heat, the circuit is closed and electricity moves through the system–setting off the alarm.”
When it comes to graphene the news just keeps on getting more and more exciting. These latest inventions, from clothing to hair dye to wallpaper, are likely just the beginning. There’s even a graphene based sneaker hitting the market soon. Which begs the question: what other life-altering, game-changing graphene based innovations are headed our way?!?
Are any of these graphene based innovations the Greatest Idea Ever?
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