Scientists make supermaterial a reality (carbon nanotubes)

[TexasTowelie]

It’s been a long time coming, but scientists are at the cusp of realizing the dream of carbon nanotubes.

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A low-weight material that’s as strong as steel, as electrically conductive as copper and conducts heat like metal. It’s like Spidey silk, only better.

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Scientists have long recognized the potential in single-walled carbon nanotubes — but they’ve been expensive to make in quantity and quality, and it’s been difficult to connect the tiny, micron-long tubes into longer, useful fibers.

Now, in a new paper in the journal Science (see abstract), Rice scientists say they’ve devised a new carbon nanotube fiber that looks and acts like textile thread and conducts electricity and heat like a metal wire. The process of creating these fibers also appears to be scalable, which means it shouldn’t be too difficult for industry to make them.

[font color=green]More of the Houston Chronicle article at http://blog.chron.com/sciguy/2013/01/scientists-make-supermaterial-a-reality/ .[/font]

[phantom power]

1. industrialized nanotubes would have a huge impact

[krispos42]

4. If this becomes cheap enough...

... carbon capture, baby!

Imagine making all of our clothes from carbon nanotube threads! Mixing carbon nanotubes in our car tires and shoe soles and pavement and concrete! Our glasses and glassware and tablewear and window panes.

[progressoid]

2. cool video at the link too.

[samsingh]

3. kick

[Duppers]

5. Great news!! Rice U. was also where "Buckyballs"

Were created by Prof. Smalley, et al., who were awarded a Nobel Prize for their efforts.

http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1985Natur.318..162K