New Nanotech material 40 times stronger then Diamonds

Looks like we are getting closer and closer to the limits of material science. How much stronger can we make this stuff anyway? It's amazing just how fast these breakthroughs are happening nowadays, I just hope I live long enough to see most of them hit the market.

www.foresight.org...

The team broke the world hardness record by combining quantum mechanics, chemistry and mechanical engineering. They synthesized polyyne, a superhard molecular rod comprised of acetylene units - that resists 40 times more longitudinal compression than a diamond. Ironically, these glittery gems are comprised from the element carbon and have the weakest type of chemical bonds, while polyyne has the strongest bonds in carbon chemistry.

Polyyne looks to be yet another wonder material without the drawback of regular diamond, the molecular bonds.

Great find sardion.

How do you see this making the world better, and what's the downside, in your opinion?

The downsides of such a material are very minimal IMO because of the bonds used(if you're thinking of molecular fallout).

As for the applications it could make lightweight frames for cars, nature-proof housing for 3rd world countries(maybe not this in particular but something along the lines of Ultra-lightweight modular housing units with embedded solar cells in the actual material to bridge the electricity and digital divide.

Originally posted by sardion2000
The downsides of such a material are very minimal IMO because of the bonds used(if you're thinking of molecular fallout).

Nope. I'm not thinking. Gave my brain the rest of the day off. It's all on your shoulders now.

As for the applications it could make lightweight frames for cars, nature-proof housing for 3rd world countries(maybe not this in particular but something along the lines of Ultra-lightweight modular housing units with embedded solar cells in the actual material to bridge the electricity and digital divide.

Embedded solar cells in construction materials? When?

And light weight, strong, safe cars? ...Is the material more like kevlar or steel?

Originally posted by soficrow
Embedded solar cells in construction materials? When?

5 to 10 years IMO. There are already low efficiency plastic solar cells you can abuse and modify just like roof tiles, they need to get much more efficient before they reach market acceptance and all it really takes is one breakthrough.

And light weight, strong, safe cars? ...Is the material more like kevlar or steel?

It's a polymer I believe like Plastic at least thats what I took from the article. I have not seen the peer reviewed article yet so when I'll do I will elaborate more.

Originally posted by soficrow
And light weight, strong, safe cars?

I would say just the opposite sofi. If two cars made of this material were to collide even more of the energy of the impact would be transferred to the passenger.

No?

Peace

It will be interesting to see the practical uses of this new material. The military applications are obvious but how will this change our lives? Is it me or are we advancing faster and faster in technology? Is there no limit?

I wasn't really considering safety but weight reduction to increase mileage. Other composites that absorbe and crumble maybe some type of memory alloy that can repair itself when an specefic electrical charge is induced.

Is it me or are we advancing faster and faster in technology?

The Singularity is coming for good or ill, it is coming...

Is there no limit?

Of course there is a limit and we may reach that limit sooner then we all expect.

[edit on 6-12-2005 by sardion2000]

Originally posted by sardion2000
Looks like we are getting closer and closer to the limits of material science.

NO, looks like you are getting closer and closer to becomming a late 19th century chemist/physicist.

These kinds of materials would be good for certain sections of a car frame, just design an intended impact barrier around the car so when it hits another car it either flies apart as plained or cushions the impact so that the passengers do not break their necks or have eyesockets shooting out.

The frame of a material similar to this would prevent deaths when a car hits a tree, semi, another car, etc. But this is is so far away from reaching market place on this kind of scale. Maybe your super rich ($10+mill) could afford something like this in 20 or 40 years.

You don't think there are limits to materials science? How much stronger can we get it?

And really was that veiled insult necessary Frosty?

Originally posted by sardion2000
Other composites that absorbe and crumble maybe some type of memory alloy that can repair itself when an specefic electrical charge is induced.

I dont see that happening for a very long time.

Metal is made to have a certian elastic limit, but its pretty minimal. If you crash your car, its unlikely you wil have a easy dent that could pop out, its far more likely there will be torn metal, scratched paint, and metal creases...So the bodyman wont go away for a long long time.

Originally posted by sardion2000
You don't think there are limits to materials science?

How much stronger can we get it?

And really was that veiled insult necessary Frosty?

I don't think there are. Your thinking is aligned with that of scientist who said that the only possible advances that could be made in the comming 20th century were better measurements a few decimals better.

What suggest to you that there are any limitations in material science/engineering? People are spending their lives researchers different materials for computers, fuels, catalyst, artificial skin, medicine (drugs, remember crack, and you thought it couldn't get any better ), etc, etc...

Blahness.

Originally posted by Murcielago

Originally posted by sardion2000
Other composites that absorbe and crumble maybe some type of memory alloy that can repair itself when an specefic electrical charge is induced.

I dont see that happening for a very long time.

Metal is made to have a certian elastic limit, but its pretty minimal. If you crash your car, its unlikely you wil have a easy dent that could pop out, its far more likely there will be torn metal, scratched paint, and metal creases...So the bodyman wont go away for a long long time.

Who said anything about metal? What kind of metal do think is incapable of this, transition, alloys, organo, etc?

...

It also amuses me that the article states carbon chemistry. Shouldn't the author have state organic or is this a suggestion that the material designed is pure carbon?



[edit on 6-12-2005 by Frosty]

Originally posted by Murcielago
I dont see that happening for a very long time.

Neither do I frankely. I admit I was using primarily my imagination on that one but with Nanotech that's all you really have when thinking about applications for Labratory breakthroughs.

frosty
Who said anything about metal? What kind of metal do think is incapable of this, transition, alloys, organo, etc?

an alloy is metals.
and I think all metals are incapable of doing that.

yes, I know of memory metals...and how you can take a strip of thin metal, and bend it by wraping in around your finger, but then throw water on it and it goes back to its original shape. But I dont see any practicle use for that. Take that same strip of metal and bend it 180 degrees and hit it will a hammer, I dont care how much water you put on it, it will not go back to normal.

Sardion2000 aside from Polyyne being cost affective enough to be available to the general market do you think Polyyne is an ideal choice for armor? I make body armor so I am thinking more along those lines.

that resists 40 times more longitudinal compression than a diamond

How does that translate to body armor?

originally posted by Sardion2000
The Singularity is coming for good or ill, it is coming...

*raises his mug to a fellow transhumanist*

[edit on 053131p://6u39 by Lucid Lunacy]

Sardion2000 aside from Polyyne being cost affective enough to be available to the general market do you think Polyyne is an ideal choice for armor?

I don't know. I personally believe that an effective armour using nanotech would stiffen upon impact rather then being hard armour it would look like padded armour.

www.technovelgy.com...

Something along the lines of this.



This might be more usefull for tank/mech ( ) armour. I am speculating however as I have not read the published article yet.

*raises his mug to a fellow transhumanist*

As for cost effectiveness it's way to early to even speculate.

[edit on 6-12-2005 by sardion2000]

resists 40 times more longitudinal compression than a diamond

I notice that they don't mention the strength increase in the other directions. (if any) The compression resistance in the transverse plane might be totally different. That doesn't mean the material is useless, but it does mean that it has to be considered in any design using this material.

As a quick example, bone resists longitudinal compression extremely well, but is weaker in the transverse direction.

Originally posted by Murcielago
an alloy is metals.
and I think all metals are incapable of doing that.

An alloy is a mixture of metals or metal and nonmetal.
What theory do you have regarding metals and their inability to respond to outside influences (fields) as commands for certain operations? A ray of light can hit a metallic surface and it will release an electron. So we do know that a metallic surface obeys an em source. Metals may also shed their bonding partners, like during the combination of coal into iron-oxide, where the carbon acts as an agent to shed the oxygen from the iron it is bonded with. Not sure if I said that completely correct.

But I dont see any practicle use for that.

They can make delightfull little stocking stuffers for young children, and we are close to the stocking stuffing days.

Take that same strip of metal and bend it 180 degrees and hit it will a hammer, I dont care how much water you put on it, it will not go back to normal.

Are you sure? IF their is a limitation on its ability to react with the water when excessive pressure is applied to a strip bent 180 deg, was this limited intintionally as some sort of engineering device or otherwise?

....

Originally posted by sardion2000I personally believe that an effective armour using nanotech would stiffen upon impact rather then being hard armour it would look like padded armour.

Armour can already be made, without this nanobusiness, that stiffens on impact. Albiet not effective, I am not too sure if anyone is willing to try my silly-putty vest.

As for cost effectiveness it's way to early to even speculate.

No it is not, if this news is true it is just right. The source you sited is reliable? We can trust your sources like we have in the past?

I speculate if they made this material using an electron microscope, like some other such materials, then it will definitely not be cost effective. Meaning the general public will not see this....for a while...maybe a real real long while.

Your turn.

Originally posted by DragonsDemesne

I notice that they don't mention the strength increase in the other directions. (if any) The compression resistance in the transverse plane might be totally different. That doesn't mean the material is useless, but it does mean that it has to be considered in any design using this material.

If they can manipulate the molecular structure of the material, I dont think it would be much of a stretch to think they can make the material to have equal resistance in other directions.