Carbon nanothread

A diamond nanothread is a tetrahedrally-bonded carbon crystalline nanomaterial (a close-packed sp3 bonded carbon structure). Its structure is similar to that of diamond. DNTs are only a few atoms across, more than 20,000 times thinner than a human hair.

Properties

DNTs rival or exceed the strength of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which are 500 times stronger than steel. Recent molecular dynamics simulations have indicated a stiffness on the order of carbon nanotubes (approx. 850 GPa) and a specific strength of approx. 4 × 107 N·m/kg.[1]

Every type of DNT has a very high Young's modulus (the amount of force needed to stretch or compress a substance). The value for the strongest type of DNT is around 900 gigapascal (1 GPa is about 10,000 atmospheres) compared to steel at 200 GPa and diamond at over 1,200 GPa.[2]

History

In 2014, researchers at Penn State University created the first DNTs.[3] As of 2015, fibers 90 nanometers in length had been created (compared to .5 meters for CNTs). Also in 2015, a simulation indicated that the strength of the material was not a function of its length.[2]

Synthesis

Synthesis is achieved using liquid benzene subjected to extreme pressure (around 200,000 times the pressure at the surface of the Earth), and then slowly relieved of that pressure.[3] The benzene chains form extremely thin, tight rings of carbon that are structurally identical to diamonds.[4]

See also

External links

References

  1. Roman, R. Kwan, K., and Cranford, S.W., Mechanical Properties and Defect Sensitivity of Diamond Nanothreads, Nano Letters, Feb. 18, 2015, 15 (3), pp 1585–1590
  2. 1 2 Carpineti, Alfredo (November 28, 2015). "Super-Strong Diamond Nanothread Has People Dreaming Of A Space Elevator". IFLScience. Retrieved 2015-11-29.
  3. 1 2 T.C.Fitzgibbons et al., Benzene-derived carbon nanothreads, Nature Materials, September 21, 2014
  4. Scientists Might Have Accidentally Solved The Hardest Part Of Building Space Elevators, Business Insider, 13 October 2014, Ajai Raj
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