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Texas Scientists Spin Carbon Nanotube Fiber
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!"
The effect only works with single walled carbon nanotubes, and even then only when in air. The effect actually happens because the tubes are very black and very porus, absorbing a large amount of light and rapidly converting it to a violent expansion of the surrounding Oxygen in the air igniting the nanotube. This will never occur if the tubes are incorporated into an epoxy string.
- "Hear that?! The percolations are imminent! Cease your ingress!"
"Requires" is a slippery word, because to some extent you can make up for a weaker material by tapering the cable so it's thicker in the middle where it's holding the "weight" of both ends, and thinner at the ends so there's less load.
The amount of taper gets absurd in no time for materials weaker than unobtainium. High Lift Systems quotes a taper ratio of 1.7E33 for steel and 2.6E8 for Kevlar, and that's apparently for a cable stressed to the breaking point.
10 or 20 times stronger than steel would be usable, in other words.