A SPONGY NEW SUPER-MATERIAL COULD BE LIGHTER THAN THE FLIMSIEST PLASTIC YET 10 TIMES STRONGER THAN STEEL.
THE NEW SUPER-MATERIAL IS MADE UP OF FLECKS OF GRAPHENE SQUISHED AND FUSED TOGETHER INTO A VAST, COBWEBBY NETWORK.THE FLUFFY STRUCTURE,WHICH LOOKS A BIT LIKE A PSYCHEDELIC SEA CREATURE,IS ALMOST COMPLETELY HOLLOW;ITS DENSITY IS JUST 5 PERCENT THAT OF ORDINARY GRAPHENE,THE RESEARCHERS SAID.
WHAT'S MORE,THOUGH THE RESEARCHERS USED GRAPHENE,THE SEEMINGLY MAGICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MATERIAL DO NOT TOTALLY DEPEND ON THE ATOMS USED:THE SECRET INGREDIENT IS THE WAY THOSE ATOMS ARE ALIGNED,THE SCIENTISTS SAID.
"YOU CAN REPLACE THE MATERIAL ITSELF WITH ANYTHING," MARKUS J.BUEHLER,A MATERIALS SCIENTIST AT THE MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY SAID IN A STATEMENT."THE GEOMETRY IS THE DOMINANT FACTOR. IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO TRANSFER TO MANY THINGS."