Aestus Ajith

Get ready for one-dimensional boron chains. We all love graphene - the one-atom-thick sheets of carbon aren't just super flexible, harder than diamond, and stronger than steel, they've also recently  become superconductors  in their own right. But it's not the only over-achieving nanomaterial out there. Researchers have just simulated a stretched out, one-dimensional (1D) chain of boron, predicting that the material could have even weirder properties than graphene. To be clear, 1D boron chains haven't been created as yet - so far, this research is purely based on detailed computer simulations of the new material. But labs have already successfully synthesised atom-thick and  fullerene  - cage-like buckyball - forms of boron, and single-atom-thick-carbon chains known as  carbyne  (pictured above) have also been created. So the researchers predict it's only a matter of time before 1D boron-atom chains become a reality too. If that's the...

Scientists just got the first direct proof of stable carbyne - the world's strongest material 40 times stronger than diamond. Elemental carbon is extremely versatile, and scientists have long been able to create new carbon allotropes that make for super durable and multi-functioning materials - such as  everyone’s favourite material, graphene . The 'carbon family' is one very resourceful family. But even with all these developments, carbyne remained elusive. In fact, it is the only form of carbon that has not been synthesised, even though researchers have been studying its properties for over 50 years.The reason for this is that carbyne is extremely unstable. This one-dimensional carbon chain was first discovered in 1885 by Adolf von Baeyer, who even stated that carbyne would remain elusive, as its high reactivity would  always lead to its immediate destruction . Carbyne’s mechanical properties are hypothesised to exceed all known materials....