Graphene used to create world's toughest fibers

Researchers from the University of Wollongong (UOW) have developed a new composite material that produces the toughest fibers ever made - tougher the Kevlar and spider silk. The new material should be cheaper and easy to make.

The researchers have demonstrated that graphene can work just as carbon nanotubes (a common toughening agent) in polymer composites. The idea is that equal amounts of carbon nanotubes and graphene added to the polymer gives exceptionally high toughness. Other combinations of these materials resulted in fibers that aren't tough at all. The new fibres can be produced easily by a wet-spinning method and can be readily up-scaled.