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echo123 writes: Researchers have discovered that graphene naturally allows proton transport, especially around its nanoscale wrinkles. This finding could revolutionize the hydrogen economy by offering sustainable alternatives to existing catalysts and membranes.
Scientists from the University of Warwick and the University of Manchester have finally solved the long-standing puzzle of why graphene is so much more permeable to protons than expected by theory.
The saga began a decade ago, when scientists at The University of Manchester demonstrated that graphene is permeable to protons, nuclei of hydrogen atoms.
This finding was unexpected and contradicted theoretical predictions which suggested that it would take billions of years for a proton to pass through graphene’s dense crystalline structure. Due to this disparity, there was a theory suggesting that protons might be permeating through tiny holes, or pinholes, in the graphene structure rather than the crystal lattice itself.
In a recent publication in the journal Nature, a joint effort between the University of Warwick, spearheaded by Prof. Patrick Unwin, and The University of Manchester, led by Dr. Marcelo Lozada-Hidalgo and Prof. Andre Geim, presented their findings on this matter. Using ultra-high spatial resolution measurements, they conclusively demonstrated that perfect graphene crystals indeed allow proton transport. In a surprising twist, they also found that protons are strongly accelerated around nanoscale wrinkles and ripples present in the graphene crystal.
