Honda's carbon nanotubes will change the world
Carbon nanotubes have otherworldly qualities, and now Honda says its figured out a way to make the manufacture of such miraculous materials practical. Get this: Honda says its carbon nanotubes are
- 100,000 times thinner than human hair
- Stronger than steel
- Conduct electricity better than copper
- Conduct heat better than a diamond
- Light as cotton
Imagine constructing our world from such materials, resulting in lighter and stronger cars, tinier computers, super capacitors, more efficient flexible batteries, more powerful solar panels, practical fuel cells, super-strong composite materials, and maybe even a Spider-Man suit. The breakthrough? Honda says it can manufacture such nanotubes with a 91% success rate, compared to the 25 to 50% success rate currently possible.
Cheaper Fuel Cells Courtesy of a Series of Tubes
One of the most expensive parts of a fuel cell is the metal catalyst, which is often platinum. So it's good news for those who want cheaper fuel cell vehicles that researchers at the National Renewable Energy Labs in Colorado have wired a hydrogenase enzyme to connect electrically with a carbon nanotube. We think? By combining the super tiny strands of carbon with hydrogenese a "biohybrid" catalyst is created, eliminating the need for platinum and other metal bits. Yeah science! [Physorg]
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