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Texas Scientists Spin Carbon Nanotube Fiber

Posted by timothy on from the when-cotton-just-won't-do dept.

RedCard writes "According to this article at news24.com, University of Texas scientists have managed to spin a fiber made of 60% carbon nanotubes that is five times stronger than steel and is "tougher than any natural or synthetic fibre described so far" - including spider silk! Previous attempts at making fibers like this have only produced relatively short lengths, but these guys have produced lengths of 100 metres at the rate of 70cm per minute!"

9 of 87 comments (clear)

  1. Have they fixed the flashlight insta-burn problem? by sudog · · Score: 5, Funny

    I seem to recall that a bright source of light can make carbon nanotubes burn up like ignited magnesium.

    Yea, I'd be the first to wear or use this fabric.. "Smile for the camera!"

    "No, wait!" *clic-FLASH* "AAAARGH THE HUMANITY!"

  2. Re:A Miracle for Population Control? by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Could this stuff, if produced cheaply enough in the next 20 years, be the end-all of condoms?"

    Yeah because Slashdotters are all in immediate danger of unwanted pregnancies.

  3. Pornography and Television are the miracle control by jimmars83 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Condoms have over 90% effectiveness when used correctly. If you want to know what will really keep population down...

    People in first world countries use their free time to watch TV, and look at porn.
    People in third-world countries use their free time to have sex and make babies, because they don't have TV's and computers.

    I propose, that in order to prevent unsustainable overpopulation in third-world countries, we give them TV's!
    Help people in third-world countries! Give them TV's!

  4. Synthetic dietary fibre by Muhammar · · Score: 3, Funny

    Who cares about space elevator: But if it is *five times* stronger than steel, it must be also better than Immodium.

    [Use with meal, do not exceed 120 meter recommended daily dose. Spiderman is a copyrighted work of art, ingesting Carbonfibre for this purpose without authorisation of Warner Bros is prohibited.]

    --
    I doubt that we will ever figure out - and I suspect that even if we did figure out we couldn't do much about it
  5. Re:A Miracle for Population Control? by EvilTwinSkippy · · Score: 3, Funny
    I don't know if you have ever worked with carbon fiber. Having worked with composite shells on solar cars, it's as bad a fiberglass.

    And if you think Mr. Willy is going to be sore, just imagine what the Mrs.'s naughty bits are going to be subjected to.

    --
    "Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival."
    --Dr.W.Edwards Deming
  6. Re:Not quite there yet (Re:Incredible!) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Well, how about an escalator then?

  7. need a new moderation category: "Too Informative" by rfischer · · Score: 4, Funny

    whoa...

  8. Who said pollution was all bad? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "Baughman says his achievement is to improve on this method by using nanotubes made from carbon monoxide..."

    So we just hook this thing up to the exhaust on my car, right?

  9. Re:Bullet proof? by Waffle+Iron · · Score: 2, Funny
    A friend of mine recently had a minor crash in his F50, as an example, and the repairs involved $150,000 worth of new carbon fiber -- 8 layers for most body panels

    I could have saved your friend about $149,900. (I'm pretty handy with a bucket of bondo and a putty knife.)