Screens of Carbon and Yttrium, and Screening for Silver

摘要

There are no indium mines on this planet, and yet indium tin oxide (ITO) is needed for solar cells, flat panel displays, and touch sensors. ITO combines three essential features: it is transparent, it conducts electricity, and it sticks to glass. However, its cost is rising as demand increases while supplies are limited. Graphite is not so limited, of course, but it has only one of ITO's benefits: it conducts electricity. Otherwise it is black, weak, and lacks stickability; indeed, it is used as lubricant. Transforming these unwanted features into a transparent material that can act as an electrode has motivated a great deal of research into graphite chemistry—witness the predominance of graphene papers in the current Hot Ten.