Gizmodo: carbon nanotubes

Carbon Nanotube-Coated Threads Make Wearable, Biosensing Electronics

Kit Eaton — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:45:00 EST

Wonder material the carbon nanotube has another new application: A team at the University of Michigan has worked out how to coat cotton threads with a polymer and nanotube mix to produce conductive mini-cables. Conductive threads per se aren't new, but they generally involve metal which limits their utility—this new material is flexible enough to be woven, won't corrode, and can carry enough current to light up an LED. Crazily the tubes are also suitable for clinical and chemical biosensing, which could point the way for uses in future military wear. [TechnologyReview]

Nano Silver May Be Envionment's Silver Bullet

Mark Wilson — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST

The UK's Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution has recently released a report urging for more study of nano-engineered materials, warning that there is a "major gap" in our knowledge of this technology. We've covered the potential dangers of carbon nanotubes here before, but the commission also warns about nano silver, an antibacterial particle that can be found in a variety of clothing, like socks. And in fact, the commission Chair refuses to wear such clothing at all:

I wouldn't recommend nanosilver clothes and I wouldn't wear them myself. At the moment the concentrations are way below anything likely to do damage, but if it became common, it could lead to problems.

The big problems could be not just on your body directly, but what happens if the silver leaves the clothing during wash cycles. If the nano silver leaks into our water supply, it could kill good bacteria we need for purification, let alone create havoc through unpredicted effects.

The commission would like to see full disclosure of nanomaterials in manufacturing become mandatory, but they warn it could be 20 years before we have enough data to deem many of these materials safe or hazardous. [BBC via Treehugger]

Japanese Scientists Plan to Build Space Elevator

Kit Eaton — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 10:30:00 EDT

Japanese scientists are so hyped up on the possibilities of building a real life space elevator that in just two months' time the country is playing host to a conference designed to set a production timetable. Carbon nanotube technology has advanced so rapidly that a material capable of withstanding the amazing forces in the space elevator cable is almost within reach: according to the chairman of the Japan Space Elevator Association it'd only need to be four times stronger than the current strongest nanotube rope.

The potential benefits of accessing space by crawling up a cable versus launching rockets are mind boggling...especially when you realize it could be 100 times cheaper to get there than using a Space Shuttle. But building a more than 36,000km-long carbon rope (or more likely a series of parallel ropes) to connect an Earth-based "launch pad" with a geostationary-orbiting elevator hub still seems a lot like science fiction. Yet it turns out that development of carbon nanotube technology has seen a more than 100 times increase in the fiber strength in the last five years: four times more strength certainly seems possible.

The Space Elevator Association's director also thinks technology similar to the Bullet train's could be used to build the elevator cars, since nanotubes can be used as electrical conductors. Lets hope his vision that "just like travelling abroad, anyone will be able to ride the elevator into space" comes true: my savings fund for going aloft in Virgin Galactic is going to take waaaay to long to fill up. [Timesonline]
Picture: HighLift Systems.

New Material Stretches While Conducting Electricity

Mark Wilson — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:18:00 EDT

Japanese researchers have developed a new material capable of stretching to roughly twice its natural shape while conducting electricity—before snapping back with no damage to the circuit. It's essentially a rubber polymer filled with carbon nanotubes, and it could be used to create anything from a curved eye-replacement camera (which is currently in development) to a new class of NERF footballs. So are you thinking what we're thinking? Yes, bring on the prank Silly Putty. And who's the sicko pasting T1000 shots on my friendly post? [Reuters via Newlaunches]

Darkest Material Ever Is Almost Blacker Than Karl Rove's Soul

matt buchanan — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 08:35:24 EST

Is there anything you can't do with the wonderful stuff that is nanotubes? A scientist at Rice University has created the world's darkest material ever with pure carbon nanotubes, reflecting only .045 percent of all light shined on it. To put that in perspective, it's 100 times darker than the paint on a black Corvette, or roughly 27 percent as dark as the viscous substance running through Karl Rove's veins. But this stuff is useful, since its ridiculous light absorption would be great for solar panels. [Houston Chronicle via MAKE]

Bike Frame Uses Nanotube Technology, Light as Five Cellphones

Charlie White — Thu, 23 Mar 2006 11:00:54 EST

Carbon Nanotube (CNT) technology is making lots of things possible that were never dreamed of before, for instance, this bike frame on the BMC SLC01 Pro Machine that weighs 2.1 lb., or about as much as five cellphones. How is it made? Said its makers:

Tiny tiny tiny (you can t even see em) tubes of carbon fiber (ie: nanotubes) are mixed into the resin which bonds the carbon sheets together, and work to add strength to the resin much like using wire-mesh in concrete does.

All this feather-light high technology comes at a steep price, though, where the frame, fork and headset alone for this bike cost $3650.

PEZ-Clusive Test: BMC SLC01 [PezCycling News via Digg]

Motorola 5-Inch Carbon Nanotube Display

tgrumet — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 12:30:46 EST

If you didn't watch the Super Bowl on a flat panel TV, but have been eyeing them up at your local Circuit City, here's a little something to think about. Certain circles are talking about a breakthrough technology in flat panel TVs from Motorola.

The company is said to have unveiled a working flat screen prototype display using carbon nanotubes—albeit one just five inches wide. The technology uses standard color TV phosphors, has a response time equaling CRTs and comes in a package just an eighth-of-an-inch thick. Basically, the gist is that it could eventually bring us 40-inch flat panel HDTVs for about $400, though it all rests on whether carbon nanotubes can be mass produced. And that, of course, is the tough part.

Nanotube based flat screens [Nanodot]