Consider the following statements regarding graphene:
- Graphene is a three-dimensional atomic-scale honeycomb lattice made of carbon atoms.
- Graphene, an allotrope of carbon, has numerous applications in nanotechnology.
Which of the above statements is/are incorrect?
-
Only 1
-
Only 2
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Both 1 and 2
-
Neither 1 nor 2
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Graphene is an allotrope of carbon whose structure is one-atom-thick planar sheets of sp2-bonded carbon atoms that are densely packed in a honeycomb crystal lattice. The carbon-carbon bond length in graphene is about 0.142 nanometers. Hence, it finds applications in the field of nanotechnology. Graphene sheets stack to form graphite with an interplanar spacing of 0.335 nm, which means that a stack of three million sheets would be only one millimeter thick. Graphene is the basic structural element of some carbon allotropes including graphite, charcoal, carbon nanotubes and fullerenes. It can also be considered as an indefinitely large aromatic molecule, the limiting case of the family of flat polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. (Therefore, both the statements 1 and 2 are correct)