Strained graphene leads to pseudo-magnetic fields, bends physics even further
By Darren Murph 
posted August 2nd 2010 6:33PM
posted August 2nd 2010 6:33PM
Man, if only this had been discovered before Ariadne was tasked with building impossible dreams. A team of scientists caught high-fiving over at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have a new and riveting announcement to share, and it revolves around our old and trusted friend, graphene. This go 'round, the self-proclaimed "extraordinary form of carbon" is being stressed to its max, but not without good reason. Thanks to inquisitive minds and a "stroke of serendipity," a research team was able to create magnetic fields in excess of 300 tesla by simply straining graphene in a certain way. For physicists, the discovery is a dream come true, particularly when you realize that magnetic fields in excess of 85 tesla were practically impossible to come across in a laboratory setting. The benefits here? It's honestly too early to tell, but gurus in the field are already suggesting that the "opportunities for basic science with strain engineering [are] huge." Something tells us Magneto would concur.
@hemmy
Exactly, it has been observed to make electrons behave as though a 300T magnetic field had been applied to them: not that a 300T magnetic field was generated.
So no hoever boards, no fridge magnets...
The most likely application for this technology, if it can be scaled and made stable will be in power generation. The stressed graphene will be embedded in alternators to replace the powerful electro magnets used now. Which if it works would significantly boost power generation by both removing the wasted energy to make the magnetic field and significantly boosting the effect on the electrons to the 300T range.
If the technology can't be scaled then it likely could still lead to more sensitive MEMS sensor technology: better gyro for your iPhone 6.
Hmm... This might be useful in a fusion reactor. Next up... figure out how to mass produce antimatter and store it.
It`s so you can tell SPJ to PHUCK off !
F*cking Magnets, How do they Work?!
Having recently inadvertently degaussed my hard drive in my netbook whilst I was on a massage chair, I have a bit of a phobia of magnets - at least for the sake of my hard drives.
What would this thing to do if it were to be placed on or near a hard drive casing?
@buoy
Most likely nothing it doesnt actually produce a real magnetic field
@Jordo1234
But bad luck on the netbook drive dude.