How did scientists use sticky tape to discover graphene?
The Tape Trick
How did scientists use sticky tape to discover graphene?
Some of the biggest discoveries in science come from gigantic machines that hum and glow and cost millions. But one of the most important materials ever found was peeled off a chunk of pencil lead with a piece of ordinary sticky tape. Yes — the kind in your desk drawer.
Start with the pencil. The "lead" inside isn't lead at all — it's graphite, a soft gray mineral. Graphite is built from countless flat sheets of carbon atoms, stacked like the pages of a book. The sheets cling to each other only loosely, which is exactly why a pencil leaves a mark: every time you write, you're shedding thin flakes of graphite onto the paper.
