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The way we got [graphene] was almost trivial," said Novoselov. The proof of concept LCD screen was small, only one pixel in resolution and about one micron in size. But if that was scaled up, the resolution would be about the same as in a cell phone screen today, say the researchers. Scaling up their design is the next step in Novoselov's research, but before graphene-based cell phones and TVs become reality, two hurdles must be overcome. The first is creating large amounts of high quality graphene. The other is controlling the structure of the surface. Overcoming these two barriers is quickly becoming more important. Because graphene is electrically conductive it's ideal for touch screens, like those found on many cell phones. Currently most touch screens are based on indium tin oxide. Indium is a rare element, however, and some researchers have calculated that the world's supply of indium could run out in as soon as 10 years. Unless a substitute for indium is developed, touch screens could face an increasingly tough future. For these reasons, "it's important that people are starting to find applications for graphene," said Pablo Jarillo-Herrero, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who studies graphene but was not involved in the U.K. research. "Graphene could be used in used in computers, electronics, nanodevices and nanosensors," said Jarillo-Herrero. However, "there is still a need for basic research before graphene can be functionalized," for use in commercial devices, said Jarill-Herrero. Related Links: |
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