Researchers at Penn State have discovered a new two-dimensional material known as borophene, which has shown to have enhanced properties compared to graphene. Borophene is thinner, more conductive, lighter, stronger, and more flexible than graphene. The researchers have now added chirality to borophene, a quality that was previously not explored in this material. This new development could lead to advancements in sensors and implantable medical devices, as chirality allows borophene to interact uniquely with biological units like cells and protein precursors.

The 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 in physicality seen in molecules, such as the difference between left and right hands. This quality creates two versions of biological or chemical units that cannot perfectly match each other, similar to left and right mittens. While they can mirror each other accurately, a left mitten will never fit the right hand as well as it fits the left hand.

According to Pan, borophene is a highly intriguing material due to its similarities to carbon in terms of atomic weight and electron structure, but with even more exceptional properties. Researchers are just beginning to explore the potential applications of borophene, and the addition of chirality could open up new possibilities for the material. This novel research has the potential to revolutionize the field of nanotechnology and pave the way for innovative technologies in the future.