Boosting the anti-corrosive properties of copper

A microscopic layer of graphene atoms coating a simple copper wire can boost the anti-corrosive properties of that wire by up to 100 times, reports Science Direct

Pure copper is one of the softest and most malleable metals, and copper ions alone are water-soluble. But with the application of a single layer of graphene atoms, the wire can stand up to much more harsh environments.
The implications are for better "insulation" materials allowing copper to be used in places where it otherwise wouldn't make sense.

The researchers applied the graphene to copper at temperatures between 800 and 900 degrees, using a technique known as chemical vapour deposition, and tested it in saline water. “In nations like Australia, where we are surrounded by ocean, it is particularly significant that such an atomically thin coating can provide protection in that environment,” Dr Banerjee said. Initial experiments were confined to copper, but Dr Banerjee said research was already under way on using the same technique with other metals. This would open up uses for a huge range of applications, from ocean-going vessels to electronics: anywhere that metal is used and at risk of corrosion. Such a dramatic extension of metal’s useful life could mean tremendous cost savings for many industries.

source: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0008622312003636
source: http://www.nanowerk.com/news2/newsid=26835.php

Downsides to the science

Amazing as it is, there appear to be some potential downsides to the amazing graphene. 

Two recent stories stick out in my constant perusal of this topic. The first is potential danger to individuals, the second is a potential downside to our fragile ecosystem.

The first one discusses the downside of carbon nanotubes as they can essentially "trap" cancer cells

source:  nanotube posts from technewsdaily

According to a new study conducted by researchers at Brown University, nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes mimic asbestos and can fool our cells into thinking they are big enough to ingest, leading to some disastrous results. This is the same thing that makes asbestos dangerous, a process lead researcher Huajian Gao compared to eating a lollipop that's bigger than your own body — it would get stuck.

The second source of danger appears even more disturbing, as the extremely durable, pliant and "resistant" materials that graphene can enhance end up being toxic to many aquatic animals:

Nickel, chromium and other metals used in the manufacturing process can remain as impurities. Deng and his colleagues found that these metals and the CNTs themselves can reduce the growth rates or even kill some species of aquatic organisms. The four species used in the experiment were mussels (Villosa iris), small flies' larvae (Chironomus dilutus), worms (Lumbriculus variegatus) and crustaceans (Hyalella azteca).

 source