Large Sheets of Carbon Nanotubes Produced 155
StCredZero brings news that scientists have developed sheets of nanotubes that measure up to three feet by six feet, and they promise "slabs 100 square feet in area as soon as this summer." The developers see uses for the sheets in electromagnetic shields and airplane construction, and according to the Next Big Future blog, the sheets could also impact the development of solar sails.
"The sheets, which the company can produce on its single machine at a rate of one per day, are composed of a series of nanotubes each about a millimeter long, overlapping each other randomly to form a thin mat. The tensile strength of the mat ranges from 200 to 500 megapascals--a measure of how tough it is to break. A sheet of aluminum of equivalent thickness, for comparison, has a strength of 500 megapascals. If Nanocomp takes further steps to align the nanotubes, the strength jumps to 1,200 megapascals."
Re:Awesome... (Score:2, Informative)
The question I have is, how strong could it be for the same weight? Off to rtfa...
Re:Ballistic carbon computing (Score:3, Informative)
http://www.mapageweb.umontreal.ca/cousined/lego/5-Machines/Galton/Galton.html [umontreal.ca]
Ballistic electrons in graphene:
http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=2340.php [nanowerk.com]
Toughness is not strength! (Score:-1, Informative)
Re:Awesome... (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Awesome... (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Awesome... (Score:5, Informative)
I don't have a copy of that book, so can't read it in context, but I still have to call bullshit on this.
Aluminum (Aluminium for you Brits) is the most abundant metal [jlab.org] in the Earth's crust. While smelting it is energy intensive, recycling it is significantly less so [alcoa.com]. There is so much that has already been used, and available for recycling, I can't see us running out in the next couple of centuries, if ever.
Re:Forget electromagnetic shielding (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Forget electromagnetic shielding (Score:5, Informative)
One of the reasons carbon fiber is used is the ability to choose different properties on different axes. Many cyclists want a frame that absorbs road vibration (longitudinally flexible) while being as stiff as possible laterally to transmit pedaling force efficiently and maneuver aggressively.
Re:Mistake in Article? (Score:3, Informative)
Here's [azom.com] a breakdown of the composition of Aluminum Alloy 6061 to give you an idea...
Re:Forget electromagnetic shielding (Score:-1, Informative)
Under excessive tensile strain, the tubes will undergo plastic deformation, which means the deformation is permanent. This deformation begins at strains of approximately 5% and can increase the maximum strain the tube undergoes before fracture by releasing strain energy.
CNTs are not nearly as strong under compression. Because of their hollow structure and high aspect ratio, they tend to undergo buckling when placed under compressive, torsional or bending stress."
-Thanks wikipedia! Looks like carbon nanotubes are really strong.
Re:Didn't nanotubes explode with flash photography (Score:3, Informative)
Second... I guess you've never heard of... paint.
And finally... not all carbon nanotubes are created equally.
FUD.
Re:Awesome... (Score:3, Informative)
Yes, sadly we weren't subjected to the spelling errors of a certain Mr Hall...
Re:Mistake in Article? (Score:5, Informative)
But aluminum does have a very good strength to weight ratio. Also, it doesn't rust. Instead it forms an oxide layer which prevents further oxidation.
Re:Awesome... (Score:3, Informative)
insufficient for space elevator (Score:4, Informative)