University of Arkansas physicists have found a way to systematically study and control the transition of graphite (the “lead” found in pencils) to graphene, one of the strongest, lightest and most conductive materials known.

Electrons moving through graphite have mass and encounter resistance, but electrons moving through graphene are massless and encounter almost no resistance, which makes graphene an excellent candidate material for future energy and computing needs.

However, graphene is a new material only discovered in 2004, and many things remain unknown about its properties. “The transition from graphite to graphene can be random,” said Xu. “Our idea was to control this.”

The researchers used a new technique called electrostatic manipulation scanning tunneling microscopy to “lift” the top layer of graphite, creating graphene. Scientists have traditionally used scanning tunneling microscopy on a stationary surface, but this new technique uses a moving surface to move between graphite and grapheme.

Using this technique, the researchers can tell how much force it takes to create graphene and how much distance exists between graphene and the graphite as well as to track the total energy of the process.

P. Xu, Yurong Yang, S.D. Barber, J.K. Schoelz, D. Qi, M.L. Ackerman, L. Bellaiche, P.M. Thibado, New scanning tunneling microscopy technique enables systematic study of the unique electronic transition from graphite to graphene, Carbon, 2012, DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2012.05.050