New properties Alignment of carbon nanotubes. Nanosciences and nanotechnologies enable more precise control of the organisation of atoms and molecules to produce nanostructures with new or more efficient properties. While in nature, carbon atoms can spontaneously organise to form diamond or graphite (coal), researchers have discovered and manufactured a new form of carbon material: carbon nanotubes. In theory, nanotubes are 100 times as rigid as steel. These "new molecular forms" produced by the application of nanotechnology possess very useful properties of a mechanical, thermal and electrical nature, etc. NASA is even examining the possibility of building a space elevator using these nanomaterials. Science fiction? |
How to industrialise the manipulation of atoms, one by one.
