The march of modern carbon continues, now producing a carbon fiber
foam. Nothing is said regarding the strength of the internal bonding
although the natural potential is extraordinary. If good enough we
may get a laminar panel with metallic layers partially absorbing the
metal itself.
We are rapidly seeing some astounding material, mostly thanks to our
growing mastery of carbon manipulation.
All this is important if we desire to really travel into space in our
own magnetic field exclusion vessels(MFEV).
13:46 July 12, 2012
A microscope image of
aerographite, which is now officially the world's lightest solid
material (Image: Technical University of Hamburg)
While they were each
once hailed as the lightest solid material ever made, metallic
microlattice and aerogel have now been moved back to
second and third place (respectively), with aerographite taking the
crown. Developed by a team from the Technical University of Hamburg
and Germany’s University of Kiel, the material is composed of 99.99
percent air, along with a three-dimensional network of porous carbon
nanotubes that were grown into each other.
Aerographite has a
density of less than 0.2 milligrams per cubic centimeter, which
allows it be compressed by a factor of 1,000, then subsequently
spring back to its original state. Despite its extremely low density,
it is black and optically-opaque in appearance. By contrast, the
density of metallic microlattice sits at 0.9 mg per cubic centimeter.
The scientists
discovered the sponge-like material when they were researching
three-dimensionally cross-linked carbon structures. It is reportedly
much more robust than the relatively fragile aerogel, being able to
withstand at least 35 times as much mechanical force for its density.
It is grown in a one-step process using zinc oxide templates, which
allow blocks of the material to be created in various shapes, in
sizes as large as several cubic centimeters.
Because it is
electrically conductive and chemical-resistant, it could potentially
find its way into devices such as batteries.
The development of
aerographite was officially announced in a paper that was published
yesterday, in the journal Advanced Materials.
Source: Technical
University of Hamburg (German) via New Scientist
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