Graphane and Graphene 'Work Together' to Innovate Electronics

Back in 2004, when a research group at the University of Manchester first discovered the amazing carbon compound graphene, the world of physics was in a state of shock. The new material had amazing and unbelievable properties, including one-atom thickness, super strength, and a high-efficiency electrical conductibility. Many physicists said over the years that graphene would eventually replace silicone as the basic material for chips, and it would appear that this is now becoming possible. However, it's through the use of graphane that graphene will soon achieve its full potential.

Graphane is best described as the opposite of graphene, in terms of electrical conductibility. The fact is that the latter is able to transport electricity too well for its own good. That is to say, its properties make it unreliable for use in transistors. But graphane essentially keeps the same strength and structure, while at the same time stopping current from flowing. The way it achieves that is by having layers of hydrogen atoms sprayed onto it. The hydrogen atoms bind between the carbon, and prevent electrons from moving through it.

It's easy to see how a graphane-graphene combination could yield the most advanced transistor in the world. For example, take a small square of graphene, and then pulverize a layer of hydrogen atoms on a small strip in the middle. You now have a transistor. Additionally, the inclusion of graphane in electronics could make the construction of graphene hyper-conductive pathways very simple. At this point, the process of producing them is very cumbersome.

Experts need to establish the layout of such a pathway, and then essentially sculpt it from a larger layer of graphene. By using its counterpart, the process could be reduced to simply spraying hydrogen atoms over the portions you don't need involved in electron transfers, which makes for a much more elegant method of designing even intricate pathways. These types of circuits could then be introduced in applications such as nanowires and other such things, which could further future computer technologies considerably, AlphaGalileo reports.

“Being able to control the resistivity, optical transmittance and a material’s work function would all be important for photonic devices like solar cells and liquid-crystal displays, for example, and altering mechanical properties and surface potential is at the heart of designing composite materials. Chemical modification of graphene – with graphane as its first example – uncovers a whole new dimension of research. The capabilities are practically endless,” Manchester University condensed-matter physicist Kostya Novoselov, who has been part of the group that discovered graphene in 2004, explains.

Details of graphane's potential contributions in electronics are published in the August issue of the journal Physics World.