New material to inspire lightweight planes and cars<»

Scientists have developed a new material based on graphene that could drive a revolution in medical implants and lightweight heat-resistant materials for car and aircraft engines. The new plastic material has the heat resistance of some metals but is much lighter, said co-lead researcher Associate Professor Shannon Notley, from The Australian National University (ANU). "The combination of strength and electrical properties is as good as anyone's made before, and it's stable at very high temperatures," said Associate Professor Notley, a physicist at ANU Research School of Physics and Engineering (RSPE). The team also demonstrated the new material's potential for medical applications by growing a layer of mammalian cells on it. "This material's ability to merge into the body will greatly improve outcomes for implants," Associate Professor Notley said. "It could also be crucial for the development of tiny sensors implanted in the body and could even be used for fuel cells based on bacterial interactions found in nature." The research is published in Advanced Materials Interfaces. Graphene is a form of carbon made of layers a single atom thick, which has extremely high electrical and heat conduction.