Applied Physics of Carbon Nanotubes: Fundamentals of Theory, Optics and Transport Devices

nanotechwire.com ^ | 07/06/05

[KevinDavis]

Since their discovery 14 years ago, carbon nanotubes have captured the imagination of scientists and lay people alike. These structures, so minuscule they cannot be seen, are stronger than diamonds. They are formed from organic material but act as metals or semi-conductors. And they offer great potential in electronics, lasers and medicine.

To highlight the current status of nanotube research, Slava V. Rotkin and Shekhar Subramoney have edited a new book, “Applied Physics of Carbon Nanotubes: Fundamentals of Theory, Optics and Transport Devices,” which was just released by Springer. The book's 12 chapters are written by top researchers in the field.

Rotkin is an assistant professor of physics and a faculty member with Lehigh University's Center for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology. Subramoney works with Dupont Central Research and Development Laboratories.

The book discusses the properties and characterization of nanotubes as well as new research tools, like nanotube optical spectroscopy, some of which are only 18 months old. It is intended for scientists, engineers and investors. Rotkin wil also use it in a new interdisciplinary graduate course, “Physics and Applications of Nanoscale 1-D Systems,” which will be introduced this fall at Lehigh.

[KevinDavis]

Carbon Nanotubes is going to be the next big wave..

[KevinDavis]

Science Ping..

[SteveMcKing]

"These structures, so minuscule they cannot be seen, are stronger than diamonds."

Strength measured how? Diamonds can shatter and break, it's only hard to scratch them. Metals won't shatter so easily, but they may be scratched.

[PatrickHenry]

Thanks. Very interesting. But it's probably not for my list.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

Rockwell Hardness is MY guess......nothing I noticed in the article points to anything else.

[thackney]

Space Elevator...

[TexasTransplant]

>>>"The pulsing nanotubes reflect light waves like a car reflects the sound waves from a police radar gun. As the radar gun measures a car's speed by the frequency of the sound waves it reflects,"<<<

This author has SONAR and RADAR confused, RADAR would be RF Energy transmitted and reflected back to the Transmitter and the resultant round trip time would be used to determine distance this distance measured numerous times from which a closing speed can be calculated (Relative Speed to the Transmitter), with Sonar you can perform a very similar calculation but the medium that the sound is traveling in must be identified measured and taken into consideration since the properties of sound are affected by things such as density, temperature, pressure and the properties of the sound that is transmitted itself (frequency, amplitude etc)

Sonar would make a very inefficient instrument to measure an automobiles speed.

TT

[TexasTransplant]

>>>" Sonar would make a very inefficient instrument to measure an automobiles speed"<<<

Active SONAR would be very inefficient, however Passive SONAR could be used as a Stationary Recorder, as an auto approaches the Sonar could measure a certain sound frequency as it approaches and then passes comparing the difference in up and down Doppler and get a fairly accurate speed.

[KevinDavis]

Future Tech Ping!
Let me know if you want on or off this list!

[KevinDavis]

[grey_whiskers]

Why was "HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA" included in the keyword list?

[MindBender26]

I was discussing this with my grandchildren last evening. They loved it as a bedtime story........

[MindBender26]

Actually,police speed radar does not use distance measuring but uses Doppler frequency shift.

The laser guns use distance change rate, but the radar guns do not.

[KevinDavis]

I don't know....

[Brett66]

I believe the nanotubes are flexible, not sure how tough they are directionally, but they must have the ability to withstand a lot of vertical stress that would be neccessary for a space elevator-type application.

[TexasTransplant]

Cool what a piece of Silicone can do!

(Doppler RADAR is still RF and not Sound as the author was stating)

I wonder when we get nanotube fishing line, I'd be able to fish with no weight and cast a country mile with bait alone, natural presentation and no losses due to a snapped line.

Nanotube belted Radial Tires, the cable off my winch the size of a shoe string and what would it do to the products that are now made of fiberglass or fabrics?

Neat stuff.

TT

[JSteff]

"Strength measured how? Diamonds can shatter and break, it's only hard to scratch them. Metals won't shatter so easily, but they may be scratched."

Yeah, and you can scratch on the break but that is only in pool.

[JSteff]

"Nanotube belted Radial Tires, the cable off my winch the size of a shoe string and what would it do to the products that are now made of fiberglass or fabrics?"

Maybe that is what spider webs are made of... nanotubes

[FierceDraka]

Space Elevator

Like this?

[FierceDraka]

Nanotube fishing line would be great - but what about if and when the line snags?

Personally, I'd like to see it used to make clothing that never wears out. Not to mention that any fabric made from this stuff would be bulletproof to some degree. (Think Kevlar)