Concrete may have found it's killer app in graphene. At a fraction of a milli-meter in thickness and an even finer 1/100,000th of a meter in width, graphene may become a wonder material for tomorrow's 3D printing. The "wonder" is in the fact that a team of Michigan University scientists were able to use a specialized printer to layer the graphene in such a way that resulted in a strong, flexible, light-weight plastic with strength comparable to steel. The printer, developed by researchers at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, turns the layers of graphene into objects that can be produced at home on a 3D printer. Their secret is a special ink that can print layers of graphene. "With conventional plastic printing, you have to melt the plastic down, cool it, reheat it, and then you can print it again," said Markus Antonietti, a professor of chemical engineering at the University of Michigan. "The key is in the ink formulation itself," he said. "The ink has to be a good conductor of electricity, while at the same time being stable at room temperature." The process has other advantages. Rather than needing a printer to print the object, the process can be used with existing 3D printers. This will make the technology far easier to use. At the heart of the research lies graphene, the strongest material known, and a potential miracle cure for mankind. "Graphene could be the new plastic," Antonietti said. "I can print a cup and it weighs almost nothing. This graphene is a bit like plastic, but it is stronger than steel. The graphene ink could be combined with an existing 3D printing material and be transformed into a new 3D printing material that is stronger than steel." Graphene may also have applications in flexible electronics, flexible solar cells, and flexible displays, Antonietti said. "This is an exciting new class of materials, with unique electrical and mechanical properties," Antonietti said. "The applications can be far reaching, including the use of nanomaterials to reduce cost in mass production." At first glance, graphene seems like a wonder material. It is only one atom thick, but has the strength of a hundred. But one of the first things you learn in physics is that matter is energy. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This makes graphene a wonder material, as it could reduce the amount of material needed in products while increasing their strength. Another of graphene's potential uses is to make composite material stronger, which reduces the need for fuel in cars. However, even researchers at the top of the field can't yet produce a material that will last forever, so graphene hasn't yet made it into our homes. "We're trying to make this stronger, more flexible, and much thinner, all at the same time," Antonietti said. Source: University of Michigan Updated: June 16, 2016 The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.