Comments on: Baytubes

By: HARISH

HARISH — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 03:26:37 +0000

Do you know if this material can be used for heat sinks?

By: Erin

Erin — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:04:36 +0000

Josh what do you think of this buckytube steel technology? I was reading about it and excited about it but I have not seen alot of new developments.

http://worldandi.misto.cz/_MAIL_/article/nsapr99.html

I still am very impressed with your discussions on diamondoid chainsaws that fold up, and the air car, in your book “NanoFuture”. Planning to write a sequel any time soon?

By: Um..

Um.. — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:26:35 +0000

Besides, Bayer still sells ddt in any country that will let them.

By: Francisco

Francisco — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 13:56:58 +0000

Does anyone know how they really apply these CNT to aluminium? Is it an alloy or something like that? or is it like a coating??

(sorry im not 100% english speaker, but i hope my questions are clear)

Thanks a lot!

Francisco

[It's a composite, like fiberglass: they stir the CNTs into molten aluminum (in effect), and then cast or extrude or whatever. -jsh]

By: J. Storrs Hall

J. Storrs Hall — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:03:24 +0000

Erin: 1. No, carbon dissolves in steel, so the CNTs would disappear. They are used in aluminum etc, as I noted. 2. Not yet — nobody’s figured out how to formulate the plastic in such a way as to get the strength of the CNTs to show up in the final product.

By: buh

buh — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:30:02 +0000

I hope those things don’t give me cancer or ruin my liver.

[Well, then ... DON't EAT IT. The same way you wouldn't eat structural steel. Besides, Bayer is a drug company, for crissakes. They're used to testing their stuff absolutely up the wazoo for the slightest ill effect -- and Germany is the greeniest of the greens. So frankly, I wouldn't worry. --jsh]

By: Erin

Erin — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:12:33 +0000

This is very good and very cool news! Josh and all, I have two questions:

1 Do you think these carbon MWNT and also SWNT could be used to reinforce steel in cutting tools like scissors and knives or more work needs to be done for that?

2 Would you say these materials would satisfy the requirement to have a “plassteel” material that so far has existed only in scifi: A material that has the strength and hardness of metal with the flexibility and rustproof lightness of polymers?