This isn’t some tortured starfish or CGIed brain synapse. You’re looking at an extreme close-up of graphene foam, captured using an electron microscope.
Graphene foam is made by casting a fine, metallic mesh which is then layered up with sheets of graphene. The metal is then dissolved away using chemical vapour, leaving behind a super-strong, lightweight material. In fact, it’s not unlike its cousin graphene aerogel.
This wonderful false colour image, captured by nanotechnologist Adrianus Indrat Aria from the University of Cambridge, shows the different layers that make up the material. In fact, the image is so nice that it won the annual Zeiss photography competition organised by the university’s Department of Engineering. You can see the other winners here. [Engineering at Cambridge via New Scientist]
Picture: Adrianus Indrat Aria