1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to nanotechnology and in particular to nanotubes. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for a structure made of nanotubes.
2. Background
Nanotechnology is a field of applied science and technology in which the control of matter on a molecular level occurs in scales less than one micrometer. This type of technology also relates to the fabrication of devices the size of one to one-hundred nanometers. This type of technology may draw from different fields, such as applied physics, material science, colloidal science, device physics, mechanical engineering, and even electrical engineering.
One type of nanotechnology involves nanotubes. A single-wall nanotube may be formed from a one-atom thick sheet of graphite rolled into a seamless cylinder with a diameter that may be one nanometer. This type of nanotube is a carbon nanotube. The resulting structure is a nanotube having a length to diameter ratio that may exceed ten thousand. Nanotubes may have various configurations. For example, nanotubes that are made of carbon may be single-walled or multi-walled.
Carbon nanotubes have properties that make them potentially useful in many applications. These types of nanotubes may exhibit extraordinary strength and unique electrical properties. Further, nanotubes are efficient conductors of heat. Other types of nanotubes, such as inorganic nanotubes, have also been synthesized.
Limitations on use of carbon nanotubes include, for example, the length at which these tubes may be strung together. The longest carbon nanotube currently produced is eighteen millimeters long, making these types of nanotubes practically useless for large scale applications. As a result, many times carbon nanotubes are incorporated with other materials. This type of use may help increase the strength or other desirable properties of those materials. By dispersing or placing nanotubes into other components, the strength of those components is increased but not as great as nanotubes that are by themselves.
In bulk, materials including nanotubes may not have the same tensile strength as individual nanotubes. These types of configurations, however, may yield strengths that are sufficient for many applications. For example, carbon nanotubes have been used as composite fibers in polymers to improve mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties of various products. Nanotubes also may be used in various structural products, such as clothes, combat jackets, concrete, sports equipment, and bridges. Other uses for nanotubes include computer circuits, conductive films, air filters, water filters, and non-stick surfaces.