Graphene

Brodie

1859

Brodie was first to notice this layered structure. It is composed of carbon atoms that are covalently bonded to 3 other carbons atoms. This forms a hexagonal shape that is a flat sheet.

Structure of graphite

1918

Structure of graphite determined by Kohlschutter & Haeni
uses a technique called powder diffraction by seeing how x-rays reflected off the substance they could estimate what it looked like on a molecular level.

Theory of graphene was first explored by P.R. Wallace

1947

He developed the idea of delocalized electrons in trying to understand the properties of graphite. He won the Nobel prize for this work.

Earliest electron microscope image of graphene by Ruess and Vogt

1948

They showed a single layer of graphene for the first time. For decades scientists struggled to get a single layer of graphene for study. Most sections made were still 50-100 layers thick.

Scientists attempted to make thin layers of graphene

1990

Used mechanical exfoliation (stripping off layers physically) but still nothing thinner than 50 layers.

Breakthrough

2004

Geim and Novoselov at the university of Manchester managed to get a single atom layer of graphene using the scotch tape technique using a piece of sellotape they removed a single layer of graphene from a block of graphite. They then chemically dissolved the tape leaving only the graphene. They received the Nobel prize for their method.