Borophene, a new two-dimensional material discovered by researchers at Penn State, has shown improved properties compared to graphene. The material is thinner, more conductive, lighter, stronger and more flexible than graphene. A team led by Dipanjan Pan published their findings in ACS Nano, marking the first study to investigate the biological interactions of borophene and the first report of adding chirality to borophene structures.
Chirality refers to the asymmetry of physicality seen in molecules, such as the difference between left and right handedness. This quality creates two versions of biological or chemical units that cannot perfectly match each other, much like left and right gloves. Although they may mirror each other precisely, the left glove will never fit the right hand as well as the left hand.
The addition of chirality to borophene could lead to advances in sensors and implantable medical devices because it allows borophene to uniquely interact with biological entities such as cells and protein precursors. Boron is an essential element for human health, so its addition to a two-dimensional material could have significant implications for medicine.
Researchers are just beginning to explore the potential applications of borophene. Adding chirality opens up new possibilities for this intriguing material that is similar to carbon in terms of atomic weight and electron structure but with even more remarkable properties. This new research has the potential to revolutionize the field of nanotechnology and pave the way for innovative technologies in the future.