Honda Nano Technology Promises New Dimension Of Lightin

Honda has announced that they, together with researchers at Purdue University, have been involved in researching the potential for microscopic carbon nanotubes that are 100,000 times thinner than a human hair, to relay electricity faster and further than ever before.

The findings were published in Science Magazine on October 2nd, 2009.

These findings are paving the way for new possibilites in energy efficiency as well as miniaturization, due to the fact that energy loss is at a very minimum. Among the future possibilities are more compact and powerful computers, supercapacitor electrodes, electrical cables, solar and fuel cells, batteries, artificial muscles, energy storage and hybrid vehicle electronics, to name but a few.

But what are microscopic carbon nanotubes? These nanotubes are grown on the surface of metal nanoparticles, looking much like the cylindrical form of rolled honeycomb sheets with carbon atoms in their tips. Whenever these tiny carbon nanotubes show metallic conductvity, they are much stronger than even steel, have better conductivity properties than copper, and even as efficient in conducting heat as a diamond, and - they are extremely lightweight.

'Our goal is not only the creation of new and better technologies and products, but to fulfill Honda's commitment to environment sustainability,' said Dr. Hideaki Tsuru, project director from Honda Research Institute USA.

In the past, research efforts were only able to produce an approximate 25-50% success rate, whereas this new research has produced a 91% success rate in metallic conductivity for grown nanotubes.

'This is the first report that shows we can control fairly systematically whether carbon nanotubes achieve a metallic state. Further research is in progress with the ultimate goal to take complete control over grown nanotube configurations to support their real world application,' said Dr. Avetik Harutyunyan, principal scientist from Honda Research Institute USA, and the leader of the project.

Honda says they are excited about their teamwork and collaboration with researchers at Purdue University and the University of Louisville. Faster, more compact computers, ligthing fast conductivity, less energy loss, tiny, even microscopic componenets - the applications seem almost endless. Seems like that is where nano technology is headed - lighter, faster, more efficient than ever before.