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
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