Oxygen-free conditions are key to high-quality graphene

An oxygen-free environment is the key to making high-quality graphene. The finding could enable faster, more reproducible production of the 2D carbon allotrope, which is often referred to as a ‘wonder material’ due to its unusual physical and electronic properties.

Graphene is formed of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice. Its unique properties have been exploited in all sorts of graphene-enhanced products, including tennis rackets, pacemakers, aircraft coatings and even high-tech potatoes.