Graphene

[Clintspin]

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/ract...l?PCODE=HGSPRO

That's the description of graphene in a Head racquet. Now below is an article about how expensive it is to produce graphene. So how much if any real graphene could be in this racquet?

http://www.popsci.com/science/articl...worth-graphene

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Even if there's 0.01% graphene in the racquet, you know marketing gurus will plaster stickers and logos everywhere to fool idiots that there are a ton of the stuff in the frame.

[slowfox]

If only I paid attention in Chemistry class...

[themitchmann]

So, the new Graphene sticks are basically poop? From the article:

In their demo, they made graphene from a range of materials--grass, chocolate, a cockroach leg, even dog excrement (special thanks to Sid Vicious the mini dachshund) to show that high-quality graphene is basically waiting to be extracted from all kinds of everyday materials.

[mtommer]

Alright folks, graphite is made up of many layers of graphene but not in the meaning that Graphene refers to. The makeup of Graphene is of a specific, as close to pristine graphite as we can generate, 2D layer of graphite. Graphite or carbon as we think of it in tennis racquets does not share the remarkable qualities associated with Graphene such as it's coming use in electronics such as touchscreens and photovoltaic applications. It's possible that there's differences in manufacturing design parameters (things like wall thickness variances in new spots, new molds, etc.) but I wouldn't be surprised if the new "Graphene" racquets that Head is making are little more than rebadged racquets of their previous line.

For example, I just used the Dunlop Aerogel 4D 200 (18x20) for the first time earlier today. I haven't really noticed anything different from my M-Fil 200 (18x20).

[brownbearfalling]

Originally Posted by mtommer

Alright folks, graphite is made up of many layers of graphene but not in the meaning that Graphene refers to. The makeup of Graphene is of a specific, as close to pristine graphite as we can generate, 2D layer of graphite. Graphite or carbon as we think of it in tennis racquets does not share the remarkable qualities associated with Graphene such as it's coming use in electronics such as touchscreens and photovoltaic applications. It's possible that there's differences in manufacturing design parameters (things like wall thickness variances in new spots, new molds, etc.) but I wouldn't be surprised if the new "Graphene" racquets that Head is making are little more than rebadged racquets of their previous line.

For example, I just used the Dunlop Aerogel 4D 200 (18x20) for the first time earlier today. I haven't really noticed anything different from my M-Fil 200 (18x20).

To reiterate mtommer: it's all just carbon. Graphite; hyper carbon, Karophite, Aerogel, mfil etc. The difference is that the carbon is more pure and dense. More dense = more stronger material per volume. More pure = lighter per volume.
Changes in manufacturing techniques, different machines, different orientation of the weave or different procedures for obtaining the carbon will result in a slightly different "fiber/material". ( First half of this video hints to this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrPsVkypjXA )It shows in the racquets. Compare a wilson Profile with a Babolat aero pro drive. The profile was thick to achieve a certain stiffness. The Apd has a comparable stiffness with a much thinner thickness.

Aerogel, m-fil, blx and innegra are substances added to the carbon to achieve more dense or more stiff carbon fiber. Blx is "suppose" to have basalt ingrained into the "gaps" of the carbon fiber to produce a denser fiber while also producing more shock resistance since basalt "dampens" shock. Graphene seams to be the most ideal form of carbon since it is the most pure and "dense".

In regards to the video, you should know to never trust the news. Saying that some sugar can be worth a billion dollars isn't the whole truth. Yes the students did make graphene from some simple sugar but it is probably not usable nor manufacturable. A foot ball field's worth of graphene fragements isn't the same as a whole graphene sheet. That is probably why Head is only using it in the throat of the new racquets. But it helps that they are using innegra s (which is placed between carbon sheets).

[KineticChain]

placebo effect and marketing. "it haz exotic materials!!1! it feel GOOD!1! You will play like FEDERER!! BUY! BUY! BUY!"