Self-assembling 3D Nanostructures

Roland Piquepaille writes "Chips holding 10 terabits of data? Copper as strong as steel? Ceramics tough enough to be used in car engines? All this will be true in five years, thanks to two new methods to create self-assembling 3D nanostructures. These methods used pulsed laser deposition to create layers of nanodots organized in a matrix. These arrays of nanodots are consistent in shape and size -- 7 nanometers with nickel for example. But the real beauty of these methods is that they can be applied to almost any material, like nickel for data storage or aluminum oxide for ceramics. These methods also reduce drastically imperfections, leading to future superstrong materials. Read more here for other details and an image of a single nickel nanocrystal, or nanodot."

Comments

Mithril blades

[Space cowboy]

So that's it then - the elves had nanotech. It all makes sense now. Looks like steel, feels like steel, but cuts like sinclair molecule chain :-)

I do remember the UK Science minister at the time (Lord Sainsbury, I think it was) who said "Nanotechnology is going to be really BIG". He didn't quite get it, did he... Oh well, science is anathema to most politicians in the UK :-(

Simon

But how does it kill people?

[MacFury]

I guess you could make stronger bullets...How else could it be used to kill people? I'd like to see this technology get funded.

Re:But how does it kill people?

[wtrmute]

Theoretically, you could make super-strong body armor to outfit your stormtr^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hsoldiers. So, indirectly, it can be used to kill people...

Of course, even super-strong body armor pales before the power of the Force :)

Pffft

[frankthechicken]

I used to have self assembling lego/mechano structures, thanks to my father's need to 'help' me whenever I got a new set.

Ooops

[tuxter]

I post that and read slashdot? Fucking asshat.

Imperfections

[Anonymous Coward]

"methods also reduce drastically imperfections"

Maybe he should have used those methods on his text!

You missed the point!!!!

[ScottGant]

These things are "self-assembling"!! Doesn't this just scare the hell out of you?!?!

How long will it be before these 3D nanostructures figure out they no long need Mankind to survive...and see us as a threat!?!?

I for one will welcome our new Self-assembling 3D Nanostructures Overlords!

greatest invention since the lightbulb

[Jotham]

Why is it that every time I read about a scientific breakthrough, journalists always promise that it could lead to... *drumroll*... an improved lightbulb?

I wonder if Einstein had this problem.
E=mc^2... helps us understand the relationship between energy and matter... which could lead to...

Data storage shrinks again?

[oneandoneis2]

Great... As if contact lenses weren't bad enough, we'll soon be on hands & knees searching the carpet for somebody's Very Compact Disc collection

Mod parent up!

[ScottGant]

This isn't redundant man...don't you GET IT?

Listen. And understand. Those Self-assembling 3D Nanostructures are out there. They can't be bargained with. They can't be reasoned with. They don't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And they absolutely will not stop, EVER, until we are dead!

Re:Terabits?

[Anonymous Coward]

Wait, are you saying that monkeys didn't write hamlet?

Fuck.

But when will it work with alchohol

[GomezAdams]

I'd rather like to see something along this line that would assemble the finest Cuba Libre on the planet, a good cigar, and then assemble some red headed carbon based life form to share it with. That would be nano-technology worth investing in!

Re:Ok, after reading the article

[Anonymous Coward]

Hmmm...solid state lighting that uses one fifth the energy that fluorenscents do. I wonder if they also provide a wide spectrum of lightwaves too? Because if so...I could grow 5 pot plants instead of one, and not have to worry about the cops picking up on my electric bill. COOL! I love science!