Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

New Microscope Shows Nano-Fibre Formation

Posted by Hemos on from the from-the-ground-up dept.

Freshly Exhumed writes "An article, with mpeg and avi movies, in Chemical and Engineering News describes how researchers from Danish high-tech firm Haldor Topsoe and the Danish Technical University have made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of nano-research. With the help of a specially designed microscope, researchers can now directly observe carbon nano-fibre formation. This is a prelude to actually controlling the growth of the fibres, which up until now has been very problematic. The new microscope's impact is expected to have tremendous significance for the development of future electronic components, energy extraction, and environmental technology."

5 of 118 comments (clear)

  1. Space elevator, here we come!! by stephenisu · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The implications for this are amazing. If we had a working space elevator, getting to mars would cost next to nothing, relative to todays costs of breaking low earth orbit.

    --
    Sigs? We don't need no stinking sigs!
  2. Step by strike2867 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This is a very small step up the ladder to massproducing nano particles. When you need millions to be produced cheap enough to be profitable for business, a microscope that can see one at a time isnt that helpful, just makes one of the steps in the process a bit cheaper.

    --

    Vote for new mod!!! Score:-2,Imbecile
    1. Re:Step by BigBadBri · · Score: 5, Insightful
      No - the real help is that being able to video the fibre formation helps in understanding the reaction dynamics, which is important.

      This could lead to improvements in catalyst design, maybe to new methods of production with the sort of yield that will make these nanofibres economically viable.

      Well done the Danes, I say.

      --
      oh brave new world, that has such people in it!
  3. Mars?? by misleb · · Score: 4, Insightful
    The implications for this are amazing. If we had a working space elevator, getting to mars would cost next to nothing, relative to todays costs of breaking low earth orbit.

    What about breaking low Mars orbit? Sending people to Mars is only half the problem. Getting them back is the other half. Sure, Mars is smaller than Earth, but it isn't THAT small. WHat are ya gonna do, send half of NASA to Mars to build a launch pad/control center/space elevator?? Are they gonna live there for a 10 years or whatever while the means of getting home is assembled and tested? Even if you could ship prefabricated facilities, you'd need a lot of equipment/tools. You have all the cost problems all over again (probably worse). SUre, we might have this kind of thing there eventually (like 75 years from now), but not one person can leave Mars until this stuff is in place. They are essentially stranded. Personally, i'd rather be stranded on Gilligan's Island. At least the weather was nice there.

    I guess a space elevator would be neat, but come on, get your head out of clouds.

    -matthew

    --
    "THERE IS NO JUSTICE, THERE IS ONLY ME." -Death
    1. Re:Mars?? by Smidge204 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Just send them an ACME Do-It-Yourself Space Elevator Kit!

      One complete space elevator tailored for Martian use. Pack it up, send it over, put it into geo-stationary orbit where you want it, and drop anchor. This can probablty all be done remotely.

      If I'm not mistaken, that's pretty much how they (currently) plan to build on for Earth: Unreel a starter cable from above and anchor it. Only difference is the crawlers that go up and down the starter cable to reinforce it would have to start at the top.
      =Smidge=