Tin (Sn) is a " dull-gray powdery material with no common uses"1, but as an alloy is known for its anti-corrosive properties.2 Combined with the flexible structural integrity of graphene, it creates a nearly-perfect medium for tin's diamond-shaped and inherently covalent nature to "bridge the gap". The covalent bonding is so strong that electricity can flow literally without losing electrons.
graphic from Wikipedia: The diamond-lattice covalent atomic structure of Sn
Coined "Stanene", this material may soon be replacing copper as the relay of choice for newer-generation electronic circuits. Copper, while inexpensive and ductile, is susceptible to overheating. Legacy chips, such as the "POWER3-II chip — about the size of a thumbnail — contains
a quarter mile of copper wiring." 3.
More modern electronic circuits may contain several miles of copper "wire" -- sometimes just an atom thick. High-voltage electricity pushed through such narrow channels may cause the wires to melt and cause electronic components to catch fire. Stanene would overcome such constraints by allowing the flow to distribute through the "channel of least resistance" more efficiently.
At present, Stanene is but a theoretical, though franchisable "wonder material"; as reported by The Independent,
More modern electronic circuits may contain several miles of copper "wire" -- sometimes just an atom thick. High-voltage electricity pushed through such narrow channels may cause the wires to melt and cause electronic components to catch fire. Stanene would overcome such constraints by allowing the flow to distribute through the "channel of least resistance" more efficiently.
At present, Stanene is but a theoretical, though franchisable "wonder material"; as reported by The Independent,
there are many obstacles standing between stanene and mainstream use (not limited to the difficulties of manufacturing one-atom thick wires on an industrial scale) and without working samples of the material available it is perhaps a little early to get excited.
