Graphene stretches rubber strength
23 May 2016
A team of nanomaterials specialists at the University of Manchester has developed a graphene composite with 50% more elasticity and strength than polyisoprene and polyurethane rubber.
According to Aravind Vijayaraghavan, who led the research, the project emerged after “a call” from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – a grant-making organisation founded by billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates and his wife Melinda.
Vijayaraghavan said the Foundation wanted to develop "a more desirable condom".
Our thinking was that if we could make the rubber used in condoms stronger and stretchier, then you could use that to make even thinner condoms which would feel better without breaking
Nanomaterials lecturer Aravind Vijayaraghavan
“Our thinking was that if we could make the rubber used in condoms stronger and stretchier, then you could use that to make even thinner condoms which would feel better without breaking,” Vijayaraghavan said.
“Similar arguments can be made for using this material to make better gloves, sportswear, medical devices and so on. We are seeing considerable industrial interest in this area and we hope more companies will want to get involved in the commercial opportunities this research could create,” he added.
To create the new composite, Vijayaraghavan and research partner Maria Iliut used a form of graphene called graphene oxide, which unlike graphene is stable as a dispersion in water.
“The [two] rubber materials are also in a form that is stable in water, allowing us to combine them before forming thin films with a process called dip moulding.”
She said that because the films are so thin, adding strengthening filler was vital.
“Fortunately, graphene is both the thinnest and strongest material we know of.”
