Graphite is a soft, greyish-black mineral with a metallic sheen. A graphite crystal is made up of loosely stacked one-atom-thick layers, much like a deck of cards. These layers can slide around, which makes graphite a good lubricant. Graphite is increasingly used in flexible heat spreaders in electronic devices, such as smartphones, flat-panel displays, laptops and tablets. For example, Apple's iPhone contains a heat spreader made from an ultra-thin layer of graphite that distributes heat evenly throughout the device and keeps the touch screen cool. Traditionally, aluminum and copper have been used for heat spreaders, but graphite is lighter, and it conducts heat better than either of these metals. Another developing use for graphite is in graphene sheets. Two Manchester University scientists discovered graphene in 2004 and subsequently won the Nobel Prize in Physics. Graphene sheets are so thin that it takes three million of them to make a layer one millimetre thick. It's estimated that a sheet of graphene as thick as cling wrap could hold the weight of an elephant. Graphene also conducts electricity better than copper or aluminum and can stretch by up to 20% without being damaged. Once it's fully developed, graphene could have many commercial, military and aerospace uses. Right now, though, graphene is not developed enough to be used commercially. One major problem is that graphene adheres to almost nothing. As well, it can't be glued to anything, because there are no glues that work at that level of thinness. But meanwhile, the best way to invest in graphene at this early stage is through major technology companies like IBM, who are funding the next stage of its research into graphene computer chips. Graphene's extremely high conductivity would make it ideal for this use. For the best investment results, follow TSI Network and use our three-part Successful Investor strategy:

1. Invest mainly in well-established companies;
2. Spread your money out across most if not all of the five main economic sectors (Manufacturing & Industry; Resources & Commodities; Consumer; Finance; Utilities);
3. Downplay or avoid stocks in the broker/media limelight.

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