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Using graphene and other 2D materials to create the world’s smallest chips, in a method called “nano-origami,” can speed up computers.
Physicists at the University of Sussex in the UK made the discovery for the first time.
‘Nano-origami’ is a shape that is made by crumpling or cracking into nanomaterials such as graphene, and researchers have found that when placed in such a format, graphene acts like a tiny microchip. By crumpling the material, the researchers found a way to make a chip 100 times smaller than current conventional chips.
Computer uses
The discovery could prove to be huge for the future of computing.
As Professor Alan Dalton, of the University of Sussex, who worked on the study put it, “Using these nanomaterials will make our computer chips smaller and faster. It is absolutely essential that this happens because computer manufacturers are now at the limit of what they can do with traditional semiconductor technology. “
“Ultimately, it will make our computers and phones thousands of times faster in the future.”
This type of technology, called “stresstronics”, uses nanomaterials such as graphene instead of electronics, and in this particular case, allows more space inside the devices for more chips to use.
“Anything we want to do with computers – to speed them up – can be done by crumpling graphene like this,” Professor Dalton continued.
What’s great about the team’s discovery is that you no longer have to add more and more foreign material to a device to make it run faster. Instead, all they have to do is use this nano-origami method with materials like graphene, and they have greener, more sustainable technology that’s also faster.
The team pointed out that the technology is greener because it doesn’t require more materials and its process uses less energy as it can be done at room temperature rather than using high temperatures.
The study is published in the journal ACS Nano.
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