The properties of the first few layers of water, called surface water, are especially important in material science as they determine how water flows in relation to the contact material’s surface. Professor Yamamoto explains: “Surface water on carbon nanomaterials such as graphene has attracted much attention because the properties of these materials make them ideal for studying the microscopic structure of surface water.” Previous studies have already established that water, in contact with graphene, forms stable 2D shapes in both surface water and free water, the water away from the surface of the contact material.