Could a living creature produce graphene?
The thing about organics is that they can very precisely build themselves up, from a molecular level. They can take various, otherwise useless stuff like goethite and chitin and, through the power of engineering, turn it into one of the strongest biogenic materials to date.
So, graphene is this wunder mátériel we can't produce in high enough quantities and quality to be useful. Graphene can also reinforce spider silk.
I would have to worry about fewer things if any creature, I'm working with, could be reinforced with this unobtanium. The question is if it's possible for living creatures to produce it.
Here's some research material, I looked through:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120321152554.htm
...the aforementioned graphite oxide can be synthesized using the Tang-Lau method:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25tS1lmZIRw
Unfortunately, it does involve high temperatures, which isn't good, maybe you can start by finding a relatively better alternative, or a way to reduce the required temperatures.
And yes, I mainly want to apply this to dragons, but repurposing the method for other creatures would be important too.
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1 answer
The dragons are ruminants with multi-part stomachs. They eat organic material, and in their first stomach burn the material at 800C until it become graphene oxide.
In the second stomach the graphene oxide flakes are mixed with a bacteria that digests the graphene oxide and turns it into graphene.
In the third and fourth stomach the graphene is processed, and which the dragons body uses in bone and muscle tissue growth.
This works for dragons, but it also works for other ruminants like sheep and cattle.
The sheep eat grass. In their four part stomachs the grass is first brought to 800C. Then in the second stomach it is mixed with bacteria that turn the graphene oxide into graphene. In the third and fourth stomachs the graphene is refined and processed. It is then used to grow the sheeps wool. Farmers sheer the sheep with diamond bladed sheers, and spin and weave it into ballistic armor.
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