Prospects for carbon fiber tecnology in electronics (audio)?

Posted by free.ranger (A) on August 21, 2005 at 15:26:10

This stuff conducts, so maybe one day it will replace metal wiring in components. As reported recently in various newspapers, notably the Dallas Morning News:

"Scientists from the University of Texas at Dallas have spun yards of chemical ribbons that are lighter than a feather but stronger than steel â€“ a significant advance in the rapidly growing field of nanotechnology.

The development could lead to a host of high-tech applications that scientists have dreamed of but haven't had an easy way to create: futuristic clothes that light up, store energy or blunt bullets; car doors that are ultra light, extra strong and double as batteries to store solar energy; flexible, filmy light bulbs that are thinner than a human hair; artificial muscles for robots; and solar sails to propel space vehicles.

A report describing the chemical ribbons, created from tiny carbon tubes barely visible to the human eye, appears in Friday's issue of the journal Science. The ribbons are created from carbon nanotubes, filaments about one-five-thousandth the width of a human hair. At the atomic level, the nanotubes look like cylinders of chicken wire. Because the nanotubes, like diamonds, are made entirely of carbon, they are extraordinarily strong. They also conduct electricity.

Scientists had known of carbon nanotubes' exceptional properties but had struggled to easily convert them into convenient forms. Last year, the UTD scientists, led by chemist Ray Baughman, had spun the nanotubes into yarn. Other scientists had created small sheets of nanotubes, but their process was cumbersome.

Clothing made of cross-woven nanotube ribbons could make strong yet light protective gear, possibly even strong enough to repel a bullet.

The scientists have already shown that one of the nanotube sheets, sandwiched between two pieces of Plexiglas and microwaved, can weld the Plexiglas together. Transparent devices, such as a car window, could be created this way with a nanotube-based antenna or heating element inside. The nanotube sheets could also be used as electrodes for light-emitting displays, such as those found on clock radios."

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Topic - Prospects for carbon fiber tecnology in electronics (audio)? - free.ranger 15:26:10 08/21/05 (20)

Re: Prospects for carbon fiber tecnology in electronics (audio)? - Jim Willis 14:59:03 08/23/05 (1)

Thanks Jim. nt - free.ranger 10:20:29 08/24/05 (0)

Nono caps should be on the way. - jensw 00:06:37 08/23/05 (13)

Re: Nono caps should be on the way. - john curl 10:22:29 08/23/05 (12)

noiseless resistors?...do you have a link to that?..nt - jneutron 11:06:40 08/23/05 (11)

Re: noiseless resistors?...do you have a link to that?..nt - john curl 12:16:10 08/23/05 (10)

Ah, that is what I thought. - jneutron 12:51:21 08/23/05 (9)

Re: Ah, that is what I thought. - john curl 13:12:32 08/23/05 (8)

Re: Ah, that is what I thought. - john curl 14:56:57 08/23/05 (6)

please stop diverting, John - jneutron 05:55:08 08/24/05 (5)

You're being silly - Mahatma Kane Jeeves 17:58:22 08/25/05 (2)

Re: You're being silly - Jacques 06:37:24 09/15/05 (0)

holy crap...that was good..:-) - jneutron 07:11:09 08/26/05 (0)

Re: please stop diverting, John - john curl 07:18:37 08/24/05 (1)

Excellent...thank you - jneutron 07:41:01 08/24/05 (0)

hey there John.. - jneutron 13:42:49 08/23/05 (0)

Re: Prospects for carbon fiber tecnology in electronics (audio)? - Steve Eddy 17:47:32 08/22/05 (2)

Re: Prospects for carbon fiber tecnology in electronics (audio)? - Mahatma Kane Jeeves 20:20:19 08/22/05 (0)

Re: - free.ranger 19:15:59 08/22/05 (0)

If it sounds exotic and costs a lot it'll be in an audio product soon -nt- - jbmcb 07:46:05 08/22/05 (0)

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