Inventing hard sponge-like material 10 times more than steel

It's been 15 years since scientists invented graphene, a super-light carbon sheet that is said to be the hardest material on the planet. And recently, they've got a new invention better.

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA, have successfully built a super-hard and light material by converting graphene into a porous 3D structure. The results were published in Science Advances magazine on January 6.

By computer models, researchers have created a sponge-like material , only 5% steel density but 10 times harder.

Scientists invented light and super-hard materials.

This makes the material light but capable of loading heavy objects - a feature scientists think is ideal for use in design or architecture.

"We can use this material to replace many other materials used in infrastructure, such as bridges, or replace steel and concrete," said Zhao Qin, a member of the research team. MIT said.

To convert 2D graphene into 3D , experts used temperature and pressure hundreds of times higher than the melting of graphene pieces until graphene had a stable and fused shape. Later, the team looked at biological materials, including butterfly wings, corals and sea urchins, to create a natural shape that could be a model for new graphene materials.

According to researcher Zhao Quin, because graphene is now expensive and difficult to produce, some other materials such as polymer or metal can be used instead.

Currently, this research on superhard materials still has to continue, but Zhao Quin believes that this material in the future can be widely used, especially in sustainable projects. According to the researcher, using lighter materials than steel will reduce carbon emissions, making buildings greener and better for human health.