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Nanowires of Unlimited Length

StCredZero writes with word of a research team from the University of Illinois who have developed a way to manufacture nanowires of any length from various materials. Not, unfortunately, carbon nanotubes, or we would be looking for news on space elevators soon. The process is analogous to drawing with a fountain pen — as liquid is drawn from a reservoir, a solvent (water or an organic) evaporates and the solute precipitates onto a substrate. The researchers have demonstrated a way to spin and wind a nanowire onto a spool; they have produced a coil of microfiber 850 nm in diameter and 40 cm long. Here's the abstract from the journal Advanced Materials.

24 of 111 comments (clear)

  1. Hee hee hee by Warui+Kami · · Score: 5, Funny

    From TFA (The Fine Abstract):

    Abstract
    No abstract.

    1. Re:Hee hee hee by spectrokid · · Score: 2, Funny

      That is because it is written in nano-ink. Get out your magnifier glass.

      --

      10 ?"Hello World" life was simple then

    2. Re:Hee hee hee by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      If the nanowires become too long, they would become microwires, milliwires, wires, kilowires, megawires, gigawires and so on...

  2. You know what they say by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    It's not the length of the wire, it's how you use it.

    1. Re:You know what they say by TheVelvetFlamebait · · Score: 5, Funny

      Is it... is it connected yet?

      --
      You know, there is a difference between trolling and pointing out the flaws in your reasoning. Just saying.
  3. good by rastoboy29 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Now we can finally start closing the so called "garotte gap" with the Russians.

  4. Re:Best part of the article by Kelerain · · Score: 5, Funny

    the researchers drew nanofibers out of sugar

    Ladies and gentlemen, this is an unparalleled breakthrough in cotton candy technology.

  5. Been watching too much Futurama by CrazyJim1 · · Score: 4, Funny

    And over there is my intergalactic spaceship. And here's where I keep assorted lengths of wire.

  6. PENIS PENIS HAHAHAHAHAHA PENIS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    i have a penis of unlimited length. i just thought you all should know this.

  7. the fibre so thin that ... by zen-theorist · · Score: 2, Funny

    there's nothing to see here. move along.

  8. Re:wait... by Garridan · · Score: 4, Funny

    Apparently, a thing needs only be measured in nanometers to be considered "nano". My car is also nano-scale, being a scant 1524000000 nanometers tall!

  9. I've created an infinite length nanowire by doomy · · Score: 3, Funny

    It looks like this "O"

    --
    ...free your source and the rest would follow...
    1. Re:I've created an infinite length nanowire by Loibisch · · Score: 1, Funny

      Since it's a nanowire wouldn't it look more like "o" or even "."? :)

  10. unlimited? by Drantin · · Score: 3, Funny

    How long will it take to manufacture a nanowire of infinite length?

    --
    Actio personalis moritur cum persona. (Dead men don't sue)
    1. Re:unlimited? by Yetihehe · · Score: 2, Funny

      Better question: How long will it blend?

      --
      Extreme Programming - Redundant Array of Inexpensive Developers
  11. I dont think that word means what you think it mea by dissy · · Score: 5, Funny

    Nanowires of Unlimited Length So would that be comcast unlimited length, timewarner unlimited length, or AT&T unlimited length?

    And could you convert that to a unit of cars or library of congresses?

  12. Re:Best part of the article by h4rm0ny · · Score: 3, Funny


    No - it will just slice your tongue to pieces. "Nano-Cotton Candy - the Sharpest Flavour Ever!" ;)

    --

    Aide-toi, le Ciel t'aidera - Jeanne D'Arc.
  13. Re:Shigawire!! by Tancred · · Score: 3, Funny

    Frank Herbert was prescient....

    Yeah. Must have been all the melange.

    Anyone else remember the ornithopters dragging a big loop of shigawire in an assassination attempt? Probably around the Children of Dune / God Emperor time period.
  14. nano nano by dwater · · Score: 4, Funny

    There's only one image I see when I read the word 'nano'. My brain always doubles it up into 'nano nano'.

    Am I alone?

    Please say I am. I wouldn't wish it on anyone...

    --
    Max.
  15. Re:wait... by Garridan · · Score: 3, Funny

    Do you doubt that I could measure my car to within a range of +/- 1 micrometer? No sweat. My micrometer is about 3.5 inches long, and my car is 5' tall, plus or minus an inch. That puts it at a height of 17.15 +/- 0.28 micrometers. No wonder shuttles keep crashing... you Americans know nothing about the metric system!

  16. Re:Spiderman sitings ahoy by samkass · · Score: 2, Funny

    "This is my drawer full of various lengths of wire... that's my interstellar spaceship.... here, let me show you some wire..."

    --
    E pluribus unum
  17. Re:Best part of the article by Devar · · Score: 2, Funny

    Am I the only one that read that comment and heard Professor Frink saying it?

    --
    It's a Bagel.
  18. Re:wait... by jez9999 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Apparently, a thing needs only be measured in nanometers to be considered "nano".

    Or, rather small and made by Apple.

  19. Unfortunately... by C10H14N2 · · Score: 5, Funny

    It would take three or four Hiroshimas worth of power to spin a single Library of Congress length of nanowire, but amazingly it would only weigh one Escalade despite being able to support five Empire State Buildings. Unfortunately, it would also cost one Medicaid budget per Los Angeles to Sydney length of cable the width of a human hair.