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Old 12-11-2009, 09:08 PM   #12 (permalink)
Pu241
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Christ View Post
Carbon Nanotubes are also purportedly stronger than steel in certain configurations, and have been considered as a sort of "space elevator" mechanism, by which objects could be hoisted into space via a machine that would scale a "rope" suspended by a satellite object.

I'll have to find a reference for that, I'm sure.
Yes, the carbon nanotubes themselves are way stronger than steel.
But, to make the "space elevator", more a thin ribbon than a "rope" they are used in a binding matrix.
Much like glass fibers are used in a polymer matrix for fiber glass.
The weak point is the binding matrix.
At the present time we can not make a macro-scale nanotube that would be composed of only nanotube structured carbon.

Just to widen the discussion carbon isn't the only element to form nanotubes.
Also related check out graphene.

Last edited by Pu241; 12-11-2009 at 09:55 PM..
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