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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.
From TFA (The Fine Abstract):
Abstract
No abstract.
Now we can finally start closing the so called "garotte gap" with the Russians.
expandfairuse.org
the researchers drew nanofibers out of sugar
Ladies and gentlemen, this is an unparalleled breakthrough in cotton candy technology.
And over there is my intergalactic spaceship. And here's where I keep assorted lengths of wire.
God spoke to me.
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!
And could you convert that to a unit of cars or library of congresses?
Is it... is it connected yet?
You know, there is a difference between trolling and pointing out the flaws in your reasoning. Just saying.
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.
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.