(MIT) Researchers make carbon nanotubes without metal catalyst

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2009/nanotubes-0810.html

Researchers make carbon nanotubes without metal catalyst

Oxides, as well as metals, seem to be able to sprout carbon nanotubes, study finds

Kate Greene, News Office correspondent
August 10, 2009

Carbon nanotubes - tiny, rolled-up tubes of graphite - promise to add speed to electronic circuits and strength to materials like carbon composites, used in airplanes and racecars. A major problem, however, is that the metals used to grow nanotubes react unfavorably with materials found in circuits and composites. But now, researchers at MIT have for the first time shown that nanotubes can grow without a metal catalyst. The researchers demonstrate that zirconium oxide, the same compound found in cubic zirconia "fake diamonds," can also grow nanotubes, but without the unwanted side effects of metal.

The implications of ditching metals in the production of carbon nanotubes are great. Historically, nanotubes have been grown with elements such as iron, gold and cobalt. But these can be toxic and cause problems in clean room environments. Moreover, the use of metals in nanotube synthesis makes it difficult to view the formation process using infrared spectroscopy, a challenge that has kept researchers in the dark about some of the aspects of nanotube growth.

…

The findings are already impressing researchers in industry. "This innovation has far-reaching implications for commercial productions of carbon nanotubes," says David Lashmore, CTO of Nanocomp Technologies Inc., a company in Concord, N.H., that was not involved in the research. "It for the first time allows the use of a ceramic catalyst instead of a magnetic transition metal, some of which are carcinogenic."

…

[CrownPrinceBandar]

1. Space elevators, here we come!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_elevator#Cable

[OKIsItJustMe]

2. Space elevators are nice to dream about

But there are a lot of more "down to Earth" uses for carbon nanotubes.

Ex:

• http://www.technologyreview.com/NanoTech/wtr_16326,303,p1.html">Ultracapacitors!
• http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/18259/">Solar cells!
• http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=4154.php">Hydrogen storage!
• and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_nanotube#Potential_and_current_applications">many more!

[CrownPrinceBandar]

3. It doesn't have to be an either/or kind of thing........

I'm aware of the many uses of carbon nanotubes. I think the advances in solar cells alone will be reason enough to aggressively pursue this line of research. I just think that space elevators are very topical right now considering the fact that we'll be mothballing the shuttle soon and will have to rely on other space programs for something we used to do ourselves. But, we are no where near the whole research enchilada to even viably test space elevators, but this advance in nanotube technology removes a potentially big impediment to making this dream a reality.

[OKIsItJustMe]

4. No, you're absolutely right it's not either/or

I'm just saying that there are several uses they could be put to immediately, while a space elevator (even if we had that quantity of carbon nanotubes available today) is still far from practical (at this time) we don't even have a viable beanstalk climber at this point.

Like I said, they're nice to dream about (relatively low cost ride to geosynchronous orbit and all that) I just have bigger fish to fry right now.