NationStates Jolt Archive

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/20/buckypaper-revolutionary_n_136286.html

Its called Buckypaper. Its made of carbon, as thin as a sheet of paper, and up to 500 times as strong as steel at 1/10 the weight. Florida State University is looking in to ways this stuff could be mass produced.


I think this stuff is the bomb, it could really open up new possibilities for Aerospace Industries and maybe even for the space programs. What do you think NSG?

Fullerenes may be usable to deliver drugs into a body. Might make "the patch" a little more efficient.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/20/buckypaper-revolutionary_n_136286.html

Its called Buckypaper. Its made of carbon, as thin as a sheet of paper, and up to 500 times as strong as steel at 1/10 the weight. Florida State University is looking in to ways this stuff could be mass produced.


I think this stuff is the bomb, it could really open up new possibilities for Aerospace Industries and maybe even for the space programs. What do you think NSG?
Great!

OK world, enough arsing around with petty parochial squabbles and provincial, narrow-minded, live-in-the-moment shortsightedness... let's get that space elevator built :p

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/20/buckypaper-revolutionary_n_136286.html

Its called Buckypaper. Its made of carbon, as thin as a sheet of paper, and up to 500 times as strong as steel at 1/10 the weight. Florida State University is looking in to ways this stuff could be mass produced.

I think this stuff is the bomb, it could really open up new possibilities for Aerospace Industries and maybe even for the space programs. What do you think NSG?
Within the next 10 years, applications in microelectronics as replacement for copper - work on it is already underway. Later, but in reasonable timeframe, possible applications in capacitors, if matching insulator chemicals are found.

Serious structural applications, even in space, are probably somewhat further, as even easier to produce and cheaper nanotubes now are only used in bulk form - it's too hard to produce sizable fibers. While cost issue is less significant for space, there are no suitable matrices; plastics don't survive space well and metals react with carbon. However, it might be sorted out in a couple decades. But both before and after, it's likely that non-structural applications such as electronics and medical will prevail.

doesn't sound like anything new, when they actually fix this part: "buckypaper can be made at only a fraction of its potential strength, in small quantities and at a high price."

Then I'll be interested, of course that basically involves removing any possible defects in the material at an atomic level, which if we could do with steel or other materials we wouldn't need "bucky paper". Don't know where they'd even start to reduce price... but I'm no expert on materials.

Of course structurally we'd probably see a limit on the use of this, unfortunately they didn't give much specifics on what kind of "strength" they mean, I'd assume ultimate stress in which case, there are issues of wear (especially being able to detect it before a catastrophic failure), and the actual lifetime of the material, particularly under cyclical loading.

doesn't sound like anything new, when they actually fix this part: "buckypaper can be made at only a fraction of its potential strength, in small quantities and at a high price."

Then I'll be interested, of course that basically involves removing any possible defects in the material at an atomic level, which if we could do with steel or other materials we wouldn't need "bucky paper".

But what about its already perfectly fine ability to diffuse electricity and heat?

Then I'll be interested, of course that basically involves removing any possible defects in the material at an atomic level, which if we could do with steel or other materials we wouldn't need "bucky paper". Don't know where they'd even start to reduce price... but I'm no expert on materials.
The price of such things is constantly being reduced, it's just that so far it's only being reduced from "microscopical sample for $100,000" to "almost visible sample for $100,000". Drop to levels suitable for commercial use in microelectronics, however, might be within just a decade. There it's the processing rather than the material which is more crucial.

As for serious reduction for everyday uses, not while the current technology is in use. It would require either a revolutionary new method, or a lot of overall industrial progress.

Even carbon fiber, which is 50 years old now, and much easier to produce, still costs $300/kg, and is only applied in either small quantities, like in lightweight fishing rods, or high-cost products, like aircraft and high-end supercars.



Of course structurally we'd probably see a limit on the use of this, unfortunately they didn't give much specifics on what kind of "strength" they mean, I'd assume ultimate stress in which case, there are issues of wear (especially being able to detect it before a catastrophic failure), and the actual lifetime of the material, particularly under cyclical loading.
The "500 times" figure is perhaps comparing maximum theoretical buckypaper yield strength (45-60 GPa) to very low quality mild steel (120 MPa, less than 20 ksi), which is only used as ballast. Practical high-yield steels are at least 10 times stronger than that; however, theoretical limits for steel are only a few times higher.

So far, real nanotubes are quite far from their mathematical models, not exceeding 1/3 for select single tubes and 1/10 for actual fiber. The buckypaper composite described in the article at the moment is at 1/40 the mathematical model's strength, actually a good bit weaker than quality steel, though 5 times lighter.

There is a lot of potential to grow, however. For instance, commercially produced Kevlar today reaches 1/8 of its theoretical strength, while a few decades ago it used to only be 1/20. Still, it should be kept in mind that the strength of any carbon composite is much lower than that of the fiber alone, since it requires a matrix to hold it together.

It's such a fun name. :)

It's such a fun name. :)

Aint it? Its made from Buckyballs... its 60 carbon atoms combined into a single molecule shaped like a soccer ball.

Aint it? Its made from Buckyballs... its 60 carbon atoms combined into a single molecule shaped like a soccer ball.

I wonder if that upsets people named Bucky.

Sounds like it'd make great armour.

I wonder if that upsets people named Bucky.

The proper name is buckminsterfullerenes. Buckyballs for short.

The proper name is buckminsterfullerenes. Buckyballs for short.

Buckminsterfullerenes? What a dumb name. SOunds like it was named after one of those early 20th century scientists that though we should all live in domes or something. No wonder they shortened it to Buckyballs. ;)

Ah, buckyballs. They were referenced in the Lucky Money club by two Versalife employees in Deus Ex. Oh mans the useless knowledge I have picked up.