Wood Pulp Extract Stronger Than Carbon Fiber Or Kevlar 208
Zothecula writes "The Forest Products Laboratory of the US Forest Service has opened a US$1.7 million pilot plant for the production of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) from wood by-products materials such as wood chips and sawdust. Prepared properly, CNCs are stronger and stiffer than Kevlar or carbon fibers, so that putting CNC into composite materials results in high strength, low weight products. In addition, the cost of CNCs is less than ten percent of the cost of Kevlar fiber or carbon fiber. These qualities have attracted the interest of the military for use in lightweight armor and ballistic glass (CNCs are transparent), as well as companies in the automotive, aerospace, electronics, consumer products, and medical industries."
Transparent Aluminum (Score:4, Funny)
Who needs transparent aluminum when you've got transparent, bulletproof wood?
Re:Transparent Aluminum (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Transparent Aluminum (Score:4, Funny)
Who needs transparent aluminum when you've got transparent, bulletproof wood?
Women might be impressed with bulletproof wood, but transparent?
Re:Transparent Aluminum (Score:5, Funny)
Women might be impressed with bulletproof wood, but transparent?
With transparent they'd be surprised.
Paper armor (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Same transparent aluminum thought (Score:5, Funny)
Transparent aluminum is ballistics-resistant so much so that it doesn't even scratch. It's also much more expensive.
Yeah, but its barter value isn't very high. A guy I know (Monty) only got a few big sheets of plexi in exchange for the transparent aluminum formula. Sheesh.
Real World Implications (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Same transparent aluminum thought (Score:5, Funny)
Transparent aluminum is ballistics-resistant so much so that it doesn't even scratch. It's also much more expensive.
Yeah, but its barter value isn't very high. A guy I know (Monty) only got a few big sheets of plexi in exchange for the transparent aluminum formula. Sheesh.
Yeah, I heard some hospital patient grew a new kidney, too, but got run down months later by someone driving a car made of transparent aluminum, never saw it coming.
In the future... (Score:4, Funny)
In the future, there will be a Legend of Zelda game where the Wooden Shield will be the best shield, rather than the starting shield.
Re:Cheaper & Stronger than Carbon Fiber? (Score:4, Funny)
So instead of rust it will be "oh, looks like you've got termites in the bodywork. Might as well chop it up for firewood."
Re:Stiffness an issue? (Score:5, Funny)
I'm always thinking of Batman's suit.
Re:Transparent Aluminum (Score:5, Funny)
"With transparent they'd be surprised."
Well, they wouldn't see you coming, that's for sure.