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Profile
| Academic position | Full Professor |
|---|---|
| Research fields | Experimental Condensed Matter Physics |
| Keywords | nanomaterials, nanotechnology, material science |
Current contact address
| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| City | Manchester |
| Institution | University of Manchester |
| Institute | School of Chemistry |
Host during sponsorship
| Prof. Dr. Stephanie Reich | Fachbereich Physik, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin |
|---|---|
| Start of initial sponsorship | 01/12/2007 |
Programme(s)
| 2007 | Humboldt Research Fellowship Programme |
|---|---|
| 2008 | Sofja Kovalevskaja Award Programme |
Nominator's project description
| Graphite is among the oldest materials known to mankind. We draw pictures with graphite leads and lubricate squeaking doors with graphite powder. Yet, graphite continues to puzzle scientists. Electrons flow through its planes like light goes through glass. A single sheet of the soft graphite crystal is harder and stronger than diamond. Graphite is also the building block for carbon nanotubes, a prototypical man-made material for future use in nanotechnology. Dr. Casigrahi and her group want to resolve the graphite puzzle. Peeling off single graphitic sheets, cutting, folding and rolling them, they will follow the route from the age-old graphite crystals to the modern, tiny nanotubes. Her research will allow to understand why nanomaterials are so different from the macroscopic materials around us. Dr. Casiraghi will attempt to build tiny carbon-based devices that conduct electricity and detect light. |