Nanotubes Start to Show their Promise

Rei writes "Researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas have developed the highest quality nanotube sheets to date (the team previously set strength records with polymer-nanotube composites). Producable at a rate comparable to commercial wool spinning, the transparent cloth has exceedingly high conductivity, flexibility, has huge surface area to volume ratios, can potentially be made into very effective OLEDs and thin-film photovoltaic cells, and outperforms even our best bulk materials (such as Mylar and Kevlar) at strength normalized to weight. It strongly absorbs microwaves for localized heating (leading to applications in seamless microwave welding of sections and even windshield warming), changes conductivity little over a wide temperature range (very useful in sensors), and is expected to be used in commercial applications very soon. The research should even be expandable to artificial muscles! To head people off, while the exact tensile strength is not listed, it sounds like it is still far from the >100 GPa needed for a space elevator. Anyways, here's to process advancements!"

Comments

MS And The Dreamcast 360

[Anonymous Coward]

Who gives a shit about nanotubes when the entire MS/xbox fanboy community is commiting suicide as we speak?

Fucking hilarious.

Re:FP

[Anonymous Coward]

SP

Re:Oh, wonderous progress!

[CmdrGravy]

You dammned froggy sympathiser, I'd like to replace your shoes with concrete boots before it's too late.

Re:Miracle

[TheSloth2001ca]

but will it slice dice and make julienne fries???

set it

[brandanglendenning]

and...