A RECORD-breaking fibre spun from carbon nanotubes has been yanked from the depths of an “elastic smoke”. The fibre, 100 metres long, is more than 300 times the length of the previous record holder.
Nanotubes are cylindrical molecules made up of a hexagonal arrangement of carbon atoms, like microscopic rolls of chicken wire. They conduct electricity better than copper, and because each tube is a single molecule they are very strong.
Engineers hope to exploit these properties on a larger scale by twisting nanotube fibres together into long threads. Possible applications include tough composites for aircraft fuselages, or stronger power…
