Next, it could be the age of graphite materials, says Nobel Laureate Andre Geim

Chennai: After the age of silicon and plastics, next could be the age of graphite materials, Nobel laureate Andre Konstantin Geim said here on Saturday.He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2010 for the co-discovery of graphene, the thinnest material in the universe. Graphene is made of pure carbon atoms that are extracted from graphite. However, it is several times stronger than steel, flexible, and light."Graphene was not known to the human race just 20 years ago. Researchers are working to improve the performance of batteries, solar cells, and consumer electronics materials by incorporating graphene. It is also a promising material for semiconductors," Geim told reporters on the sidelines of the 15th convocation of Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science.At the convocation, he urged students to come out of their comfort zones. "My most successful work happened when I took a step away from the routine. Simply pouring water inside an electromagnet led me to the very first demonstration of magnetic levitation," he said.Trying to replicate in a lab how geckos climb walls led him to a new type of dry adhesive that has become a hot research subject."The experiment that got me the Nobel Prize started with a simple question: What if we keep dividing graphite into smaller and smaller parts till it could not be divided further? This simple curiosity led to the discovery of graphene, the thinnest material in the universe," Geim said.Former ISRO scientist and a pioneer in liquid propulsion systems Nambi Narayanan, and Chandrayaan-3 project director P Veeramuthuvel, were awarded honorary doctorates at the convocation."With Chandrayaan-3, we achieved a perfect landing on the moon last year. There were many pains and failures before achieving this mission. Failure is bound to happen; we need to learn from our mistakes. One of the important qualities everyone must develop is resilience," Veeramuthuvel said.Anand Jacob Verghese, chancellor of Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science and Chairman of the Hindustan Group of Institutions, presided over the convocation.Nearly 1,600 students from engineering, architecture, law, and management received their UG, PG degrees, and PhDs at the convocation.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Valentine's day wishes, messages and gift idea !