Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder and Qingdao University of Science and Technology have managed to synthesize an illusive form of carbon called graphyne. Graphyne has long been of interest to scientists because of its similarities to graphene. However, despite decades of work and theorizing, only a few fragments have ever been created before now.
"The whole audience, the whole field, is really excited that this long-standing problem, or this imaginary material, is finally getting realized," said Yiming Hu, lead author on the paper.