News

  • 0
  • 0

Is graphene hydrophilic or hydrophobic?

If you are looking for high-quality products, please feel free to contact us and send an inquiry, email: brad@ihpa.net



 As many researchers believe, graphene floating on the water does not repel water, but attracts it.
 
Graphene is made of the same material as graphite-for example, found in pencils-which is why graphene has long been thought to be as waterproof as graphite. A key difference from graphite is that graphene is no more than one atom thick.
 
The study of graphene has given rise to different views on its wetting properties. Researchers at Leiden have now found that graphene on the surface of the water is hydrophilic as long as it is clean and smooth. In other words, graphene in water attracts water.
 
This view is very important for the future application of graphene. Its thin layers of carbon atoms are arranged in a honeycomb structure, making the material suitable for biosensors to decode DNA. The ultra-thin material can also be used in sensors, water filtration and fuel cell membranes. In all these cases, both sides of the graphene layer are exposed to water.
 
Graphene has long been considered hydrophobic or waterproof. The researchers hypothesized that this is because graphene is usually produced on metal surfaces and then transferred to solid carriers, such as silicon wafers. However, during this transfer process, graphene may be damaged or contaminated, which can affect the wetting behavior.
 
In order to determine whether the surface of the complete graphene layer is hydrophilic, a drop of water must be introduced into the layer. The curvature of the droplet can then be used to determine whether the surface is waterproof, like a raincoat, or whether it absorbs water. There is so much theory, because in practice such droplets will immediately tear a thin layer of graphene, causing cracks, and then there is not much that can be measured.
 
The researchers solved this problem by using ice or hydrogel instead of water as a support layer. Ice and hydrogels are stronger and are good imitators of water. The researchers were then able to introduce tiny water droplets into graphene and measure the contact angle between the graphene surface and the outside of the water droplets. They also repeated measurements using other liquids with different polarities. They were then able to determine that all molecular interactions in the underlying water were felt by the water molecules in the droplets above. This complete transparency is the result of the extremely thin graphene, which explains why graphene is hydrophilic in water.
 
This discovery has a significant impact on the application of graphene in sensors, water filtration and membrane-based fuel cells, all of which are characterized by graphene exposure to water. Developers will have to consider a completely different starting point, that is, the graphene they use is not hydrophobic, but hydrophilic.
 
Graphene Price
The price is influenced by many factors including the supply and demand in the market, industry trends, economic activity, market sentiment, and unexpected events.
If you are looking for the latest graphene price, you can send us your inquiry for a quote. (sales3@nanotrun.com)
 
Graphene Supplier
Luoyang Tongrun Nano Technology Co. Ltd. (TRUNNANO) is a trusted graphene manufacturer and graphene supplier with over 12-year-experience. We ship our goods all over the world.
 
If you are looking for high-quality graphene powder, please feel free to contact us and send an inquiry. (sales3@nanotrun.com)

 

Inquiry us

SCR Thyristor: Principles, Characteristics and Maintenance of Semiconductor Switches

High Purity Chromium Chip Chromium Sheet Chromium Flake CAS 7440-47-3,99.95%

Metal Alloy 8.92g/Cm3 High Purity Polished Copper Plate

Metal Alloy 18.5g/cm3 Polished Tungsten Heavy Alloy Plate

High Purity Antimony Sulfide Sb2S3 Powder CAS 1314-87-0, 99.99%

Metal Alloy 18g/cm3 High Density Tungsten Alloy Ball

High Purity Molybdenum Boride MoB2 Powder CAS 12006-99-4, 99%

High Purity Nano Hafnium Hf powder CAS 7440-58-6, 99%

Metal Alloy High Density Tungsten Alloy Rod Grind Surface Tungsten Alloy Bar

High Purity Germanium Sulfide GeS2 Powder CAS 12025-34-2, 99.99%

High Purity Chromium Diboride CrB2 Powder CAS 12007-16-8, 99%

High Purity Tungsten Silicide WSi2 Powder CAS 12039-88-2, 99%

High Purity Titanium Sulfide TiS2 Powder CAS 2039-13-3, 99.99%

High Purity 3D Printing Powder 15-5 Stainless Steel Powder

High Purity Nano Ag Silver powder cas 7440-22-4, 99%

High Purity Silicon Sulfide SiS2 Powder CAS 13759-10-9, 99.99%

High Purity Zirconium Nitride ZrN Powder CAS 25658-42-8, 99.5%

Supply Magnesium Granules Mg Granules 99.95%

High Purity 3D Printing 304 Stainless Steel Powder

High Purity Colloidal Silver Nano Silver Solution CAS 7440-22-4

Our Latest Products

SCR Thyristor: Principles, Characteristics and Maintenance of Semiconductor Switches

A brief introduction to thyristorsA thyristor is a powerful electronic device. It is a three-terminal component composed of four layers of PNPN semiconductor materials. Its forward working voltage is equal to the reverse breakdown voltage. This is re…

Metal Alloy 8.92g/Cm3 High Purity Polished Copper Plate

Copper products exhibit good electrical conductivity as well as thermal conductivity. They are also ductile, resistant to corrosion, and have a high wear resistance. They are widely used by the electricity, electronics and energy industries. Metal…

Metal Alloy 18.5g/cm3 Polished Tungsten Heavy Alloy Plate

Tungsten alloy heavy plate has low thermal expansion. It is also known for its high density, high radiation absorption, and high electrical and thermal conductivity. It is used widely in the aerospace and military industries. About Metal Alloy 18.5…