Wonder Material Graphene Discovered in Lunar Soil Sample From Chinese Moon Mission

Scientists have discovered a unique type of graphene in moon soil, brought back by China’s Chang’e 5 mission.

This graphene, which consists of several thin layers, may have formed billions of years ago due to volcanic activity and the effects of solar winds on the moon. This discovery is exciting because it shows us a new, possibly cheaper way to make graphene on Earth, which could revolutionize technologies in electronics and materials science.

A recent study, published in the journal National Science Review, revealed the existence of naturally formed few-layer graphene, a substance consisting of carbon atoms in a special, thin-layered structure.

The team, led by professors Meng Zou, Wei Zhang, and senior engineer Xiujuan Li from Jilin University and Wencai Ren from the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Metal Research, analyzed an olive-shaped sample of lunar soil, about 2.9 millimeters by 1.6 mm, retrieved from the Chang’e 5 mission in 2020.