In the popular nineteenth century fairy tale and perhaps among the first tales of upcycling, Rumpelstiltskin spun waste straw into gold. Now, researchers convert straw and other cellulosic waste biomass into reduced graphene oxide, a valuable and prized nanomaterial, through a simple reaction.
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Universal Matter Inc. has licensed intellectual property from Rice University on the synthesis of graphene from carbon sources. J.M.T. is a stockholder in that company, but not an officer, director or employee. Conflicts of interest are mitigated through compliance and reporting with the Rice University Office of Sponsored Programs and Research Compliance. The authors declare no other competing interests.
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Wyss, K.M., Tour, J.M. Turning straw into reduced graphene oxide. Nat Sustain 7, 1558–1559 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-024-01481-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-024-01481-w
