Samsung may be on the verge of a game-changer when it
comes to wearable technology. Researchers from the company reported in Science
that they have discovered a way to create graphene in a single wafer layer.
Graphene is an ultrathin flexible material that is
about 200 times stronger than steel, but also very expensive and difficult to
produce, according to a report in VentureBeat. Prior to the Samsung discovery, graphene crystals had to be
stacked to make large amounts, which also reduced its electrical conductivity.
An inexpensive method for producing graphene would make
wearable devices stronger, thinner, and more flexible. It would also position
Samsung at the front of the technology.
Graphene, discovered in 2004, is made by shaving simple
graphite into transparent sheets of carbon atoms. One ounce is enough to cover
28 football fields and its possible uses are only limited by the imagination of
the researcher.
There are also reports that Apple is on the graphene bandwagon, working with the material to power its
next generation of iPhones or iPad smartcovers by integrating solar technology.
