Graphene for Rowing racing boats?

Discussion in 'Materials' started by boatmanlmh, May 23, 2011.

  1. boatmanlmh
    Joined: May 2011
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    Location: Oxford uk

    boatmanlmh New Member

    Has anyone come across the material Graphene and if so what do you think about it's suitability for making boats - specifically rowing boats but be interested to hear of any comments generally. I am a boatman in Oxford UK
     
  2. Stumble
    Joined: Oct 2008
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    Location: New Orleans

    Stumble Senior Member

    It is whole unsuited in every possible way.

    It is expensive on the order of thousands of times that of carbon fiber. As of 2008 it was estimated to cost 100,000,000 million USD per square cm, one layer thick.

    It is available only in micrometer sizes

    It is so electrically conductive that they are considering making super-capacitors out of it

    It is not able to be manipulated or made in sizes approaching that necessary to build normal scale objects out of

    It just goes on and on. Why not do even a brief research project (Wikipedia) about something before posting about it?
     
  3. cthippo
    Joined: Sep 2010
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    Location: Bellingham WA

    cthippo Senior Member

    Welcome aboard, Boatman!

    Graphene is a planar carbon molecule of pretty much any size. Graphite (what goes in pencils) consists of millions of layers of graphene stacked upon each other. Individual graphene sheets have some very interesting properties, but as stumble mentioned, it has only been synthesized in minute quantities so far.

    Are you talking about graphite powder which is sometimes mixed into epoxy resin to increase abrasion resistance and reduce drag?
     
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