Graphene Protects Paintings from Fading

In Vincent van Gogh's sunflower paintings, some of the red lead pigments have turned white because of the reactions of paint impurities with light and carbon dioxide. 

But artwork like this can be protected from fading and discoloration by applying a thin layer of a material called graphene.

It's completely transparent and just one atom thick. 

According to Artnet: "Graphene is a two-dimensional carbon allotrope whose molecules bind together through a phenomenon called Van der Waals forces. It is invisible to the eye but forms a honeycomb pattern under a microscope, and can be extracted from the surface of graphite using a piece of tape. Hailed as a “wonder material” since its isolation in a single-layer form in 2004, graphene has many potential uses. China appears convinced of its military and aerospace promise, and it is being used to protect roads in the U.K."

Read more at Artnet: Can Graphene, a One-Atom Thick ‘Wonder Material,’ Keep Precious Artworks From Fading? Scientists Say It Shows Promise