The statements in this article are based on reliable sources and are repeated at the end of this article
Once again, the Moon has become a wonder place for scientific exploration, and Chang'e-5 has lived up to expectations by bringing back precious lunar soil samples from the lunar surface. In these samples, scientists unexpectedly unearthed a treasure of nature, natural graphene, and the discovery was heartening.
This discovery not only profoundly shook the existing ideas of the scientific community, but also opened a new door to explore the mysteries of lunar geology.
People can't help but wonder: what is the mystery of the birth of such extraordinary graphene on the moon? Compared with graphene known on Earth, what are the unique features?
01
A product of volcanoes
On June 23, 2024, scientists discovered graphene in lunar soil, a discovery that adds a new dimension to lunar research. Graphene is a material with excellent properties, and the graphene formed in the lunar environment may have unique properties, which is expected to reveal more secrets of lunar evolution for us.
Lunar volcanism may play a large role in the formation of graphene, and the mineral catalysis produced by volcanic eruptions may be the key factor in the production of this special graphene, which not only demonstrates the complexity of lunar geological activities, but also provides new possibilities for the future utilization of lunar resources.
In the magnificent course of human exploration of the moon, July 16, 1969 is undoubtedly an epoch-making node. At that moment, the Apollo 11 spacecraft landed on the inhospitable surface of the moon, and astronaut Armstrong bravely took the historic step of leaving human footprints on this distant, unknown planet for the first time.
They meticulously collected 22 kilograms of lunar rock and soil, a feat that marked a new era of systematic and in-depth study of the moon.
In the following lunar missions, American astronauts collected a total of 385 kilograms of lunar soil and rock samples. These invaluable resources, like the key to open the door to the mysteries of the moon, provide rich research materials for scientific researchers on the earth, and greatly accelerate the progress and development of lunar science.
The United States once generously donated a lunar soil sample weighing only 1 gram to China, a precious gift from the depths of the universe, which has demonstrated its immeasurable scientific value and far-reaching significance under the meticulous research and exploration of Chinese scientists.
With superb technology and unremitting efforts, they have carried out a comprehensive and in-depth exploration of this sample, and have produced a large number of high-level scientific research results, but there is no shadow of graphene in these scientific research results.
With the successful collection and return of lunar soil samples from China's Chang'e-5 probe, lunar research has entered a new phase. This not only demonstrates the progress of China's aerospace science and technology, but also provides a new source of data for global lunar research.
02
Graphene in lunar soil
In the vast universe, the existence of graphene does not seem to be alone, scientists estimate that about 1.9% of the total amount of interstellar carbon is in the special form of graphene.
The formation of graphene in the lunar soil brought back by Chang'e-5 has aroused great interest among scientists, and studies have shown that the presence of iron compounds in the lunar soil samples is accompanied by carbonaceous regions, which provides the necessary conditions for the formation of graphene.
The development and utilization of lunar resources has always been a hot topic in the field of aerospace, and the discovery of graphene has undoubtedly brought new possibilities to this field.
Looking at it from a broader perspective, the astonishing discovery of graphene in lunar soil indicates that its potential impact on the industrial sector will be far-reaching and widespread.
Graphene is known as the "king of materials", and its unique properties show infinite possibilities in aerospace material innovation, energy storage efficiency improvement and electronic technology leap, indicating a wave of technological innovation in many industries.
The large-scale exploitation and utilization of graphene resources on the moon will give mankind a unique competitive advantage in space exploration and space technology, and lay a solid foundation for future interstellar travel and space base construction.
The road from scientific discovery to technology application is still long and full of difficulties, and it is necessary to overcome multiple difficulties such as mining technology, processing and effective utilization in the extreme environment of the moon, which requires close cooperation and continuous innovation of global scientific research forces.
Why can graphene found on the moon be such a sensation? Just how sensational is it?
03
Black gold
Graphene is a two-dimensional material made of carbon atoms, although as thin as a cicada's wings, but it has amazing power, imagine that a thin graphene film as light as a feather can easily support an object thousands of times its own weight, which can't help but remind people of the ancient myth of "a flat leaf carries a thousand pounds".
The discovery of graphene is a legend of modern science, and researchers have stripped this revolutionary material from ordinary graphite in a deceptively simple way: repeatedly tearing the tape.
This discovery not only demonstrates the charm of serendipity in scientific exploration, but also highlights the important role of innovative thinking in breakthrough research.
In the microscopic world, graphene takes on a honeycomb-like structure, with carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal shape to form a tightly connected grid, a unique structure that gives graphene extraordinary flexibility.
Even when subjected to external impact, it can maintain its integrity by bending and deforming, like a nimble martial arts master, able to overcome rigidity with softness and defuse attacks from all sides.
The thickness of graphene has reached the extreme, only the thickness of one carbon atom, if you peel off a piece of ordinary graphite layers, it takes about 3 million layers to get a 1 mm thick graphite sheet.
This extreme thinness makes graphene have irreplaceable advantages in some application fields. For a long time, there has been a widespread view in the scientific community that graphene is mainly obtained by synthetic technology.
But nature's creativity is always beyond our imagination, and it shows amazing miracles from time to time, and the natural presence of graphene is one of them.
For example, the discovery of naturally occurring graphene in lunar soil not only changes our understanding of the conditions under which graphene is formed, but also provides new clues for exploring the geological history of the moon.
There are also traces of natural graphene on Earth, and in the ancient rock formations of South Africa, researchers have found naturally occurring graphene, which may have been formed under relatively mild geological conditions, a discovery that provides new ideas for developing more environmentally friendly and economical methods of graphene production.
Graphene, nature's miracle material, has a potential as vast as the stars and a sea of stars, leading profound changes in many fields, from everyday electronics to cutting-edge aerospace to energy storage and environmental protection.
Imagine that if the future electric vehicle is equipped with graphene supercapacitors, it will say goodbye to range anxiety, and the charging efficiency will also achieve a qualitative leap, making green travel more convenient and worry-free.
Between the vast blue sky and the universe, graphene is gradually becoming the darling of the aerospace field with its unimaginable lightness and super toughness.
Aircraft of the future, whether flying through the skies or exploring spacecraft, are likely to use graphene composites in large quantities to reduce weight, improve energy efficiency, and create stronger safety barriers.
Scientists are working on the application of graphene to water purification technology to develop high-performance water filtration membranes. This innovative material not only easily filters salt from seawater, but also effectively removes harmful heavy metal ions and organic pollutants from water, providing new perspectives and hope for solving the global water scarcity problem.
From the first encounter with graphene, to the in-depth analysis of its physical properties by scientists, to the surprise discovery of natural graphene in nature, every step embodies the unremitting exploration and pursuit of the unknown world by human beings.
With the continuous heating up of research and the increasing maturity of technology, graphene will surely shine in more fields, bringing unprecedented development opportunities and infinite possibilities to human society.
Resources:
[1] China Youth Network, June 29, 2024: For the first time! Natural graphene has been found in lunar soil samples
[2] Baidu Encyclopedia: graphene