Graphene
/ˈɡræfiːn/noun
A one-atom-thick sheet of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice.
Did you know?The name was coined in 1994 by physicist Hanns-Peter Boehm and colleagues, combining “graphite” with the chemical suffix “-ene”; graphene’s isolated form later won the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gerbh-
“To scratch, carve, or engrave marks.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
γράφειν (graphein)
“To write, scratch, or draw.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
γραφικός (graphikos)
“Of or relating to writing or drawing.”
16th Century
Latin
graphite
“A carbon mineral named for its ability to leave writing marks; from Greek graphein.”
19th Century
Chemistry
-ene
“A chemical suffix used for compounds containing carbon-carbon double bonds.”
1994
English
graphene
“A term coined for a single layer of graphite.”
Modern English
English
graphene
“A single-atom-thick carbon sheet with exceptional electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties.”