Buckytubes-3
These tubes have many properties which will be useful in their development. (a)Electrical conductivity: so far they have been found to be the best conductor of electricity on a nano scale level. (b)Thermal conductivity: they have been shown to be as good as diamonds. (c)Mechanical: they are the strongest and toughest fiber that has been found yet. With increased research and methods, we really might be able to tether satellites to the earth, like helium balloons. (d)Carbon based: they are carbon based, so it is something many are already familiar with. Carbon is the basis of most materials we use every day. (e)Molecular perfection: they have a high degree of uniformity and freedom from defects. When there is a “defect” it always seems to end up being another amazing property, instead of a problem. (f)Self-assembly: because of the strong forces between them, they can “automatically” group together, in some situations.
Last year only 3 kilograms of nano tubes were produced, selling for about $300 per gram. This is about 30 times the cost of gold. Analysts estimate that costs will soon be down to 50 or 60 dollars per gram. Companies such as IBM, Xerox, Mitsbushi and DuPont have already registered patents on buckyballs, and are currently experimenting with new concepts.