Carbon nanotubes reenforced composite hulls?

[GumbyTheBorg]

Ok,

So this is pretty bleeding edge and all, but I was wondering if anyone out there has managed to do any experimentation with composite hulls and carbon nanotubes? Any findings? Any research, white papers that you could point me too?

cheers
GumbyTheBorg

[the_sphincter]

None whatsoever on boats. None really even on aerospace yet. They are still trying to develop methods of manufacture. The big hope is that they'll be strong ehough for that "space elevator". I don't think anyone has even manufactured nanotube cloth yet.

[Jess]

A friend of my was doing his thesis (physics major) in nano tubes. right now there is no way to mass produce the tubes, or even make them long enough to be useful. so it will be a decade or so untill the maufacturing is finally figured out.

[yokebutt]

Nanotubes are on the bleeding edge, maybe someday though.

Yoke.

[marshmat]

I have a friend who's doing some work on them for optical systems.... the manufacturing technology just isn't there yet for materials applications, but it does look promising.

[SamSam]

Originally Posted by GumbyTheBorg

Ok,

So this is pretty bleeding edge and all, but I was wondering if anyone out there has managed to do any experimentation with composite hulls and carbon nanotubes? Any findings? Any research, white papers that you could point me too?

cheers
GumbyTheBorg

I just read in the paper today an article from the Los Angeles Times titled "Hidden dangers of tiny tech" discussing nanomaterials, including carbon nanotubes, and the growing evidence that these tiny materials pose a big environmental, health and safety risk. It's probably on the net somewhere if you want to look it up. I had to take an asbestos awareness course a while ago, and it seems the danger from asbestos is the fibers break down to such a small size that they are able to slip right through cell walls and sort of become a wrench in the gears of the cell. As usual business says there is no evidence, the EPA says more research is needed (nobody can decide on who should fund it) and scientists and health officials resign in disgust and protest because nothing happens. As usual the materials are allready in the market in fabrics, food wrapping, sports equipment computers, cosmetics and sunscreens with no idea on health effects. I guess unsuspecting humans make pretty swell Guinea Pigs. After years of cutting and handling PT wood with no particularly dire warnings of toxity, it's suddenly taken off the market and people are advised not to walk on it barefoot, if you have kids, rip it out and replace it. After 40 some years, those darn VOC's have got to go. Next thing is probably acetone is not safe to bathe in. Cutting edge can be the bleeding edge for real. Sam

[marshmat]

The health and environmental effects will of course have to be adequately addressed.

From a materials perspective, though, nanotube composites are looking very promising. Single-wall nanotubes show tensile strengths of 50 to 200 GPa (an order of magnitude better than carbon fibre) and elastic modulii of up to 10^3 GPa, making them the strongest known engineering materials.