Carbon nanotubes twice as strong as once thought
Wednesday, September 15, 2010 - 21:14
in Physics & Chemistry
Carbon nanotubes -- those tiny particles poised to revolutionize electronics, medicine, and other areas -- are much bigger in the strength department than anyone ever thought, scientists are reporting. New studies on the strength of these submicroscopic cylinders of carbon indicate that on an ounce-for-ounce basis they are at least 117 times stronger than steel and 30 times stronger than Kevlar, the material used in bulletproof vests and other products. The findings appear in the monthly journal ACS Nano.