Nanotube rubber can operate from -200C to 1000C

ERJ staff report (DS)

New York -- A paper published in the magazine Science this week, reports on research into carbon nanotube rubber. On page 1364 of the 3 Dec. issue, Xu et al. report another case of extreme mechanical performance of a carbon material-viscoelastic behavior of nanotubes in a wide temperature range-that no other solid has shown so far.

The material can perform from below -190 degrees C up to 1000 degrees C, said Prof. Ming Xu of AIST in Tsukuba, Japan. The material has the same kind of visco-elastic properties as silicone rubber.

"Even at 1000 degree Centigrade when aluminum will melt and steel will soften," the new material keeps its shape, said Yury Gogotsi, a scientist at Drexel University in an accompanying article. he said the same applies at the other end of the temperature spectrum: "Any rubber or polymer in general will become brittle, [in the cold] but the nanotube rubber will keep bouncing." .

Xu said the material was fairly easy to make, but remains expensive.

This is an external link and should open in a new window. If the window does not appear, please check your pop-up blocking software. ERJ is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Abstract from Science magazine

Nanotube rubber stays stretchy at extreme temperatures

Institute of Physics (UK)

Super Rubber Could Cushion Sneaks, Spaceships

Discovery News (US)

Nanotube material retains bounce at extreme

Chemistry World (UK)