Can CNTs Revolutionize Exoskeleton Design?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the potential use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in the design of exoskeletons, focusing on their properties, production capabilities, and suitability for applications such as armor and artificial muscles. Participants explore various technical aspects and theoretical implications of CNTs and graphene in this context.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether CNTs expand when electricity is applied or if wax is necessary between them.
  • Another participant suggests that while a single layer of nanotubes could cover the body, multiple layers would be needed for effective armor.
  • Concerns are raised about the reliability of claims regarding graphene's strength, with a participant explaining that stacking graphene layers diminishes its unique properties.
  • There is a discussion about the strength of single nanotubes compared to bundles, with a participant referencing a source that does not mention wax as a strengthening agent.
  • One participant proposes that CNT-based composites could be suitable for armor but expresses skepticism about their use in artificial muscles due to specific material properties.
  • Questions are posed regarding whether CNTs contract at different strengths based on electrical current, with some participants expressing doubt about significant physical changes occurring.
  • A later reply cites an expert who indicates that CNTs do contract/expand based on thermal expansion coefficients, which can be influenced by electrical current.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the properties and applications of CNTs and graphene, with no clear consensus reached on their suitability for exoskeleton design or armor. Disagreements exist regarding the interpretation of strength claims and the implications of using CNTs in various applications.

Contextual Notes

Participants note limitations in understanding the interactions between CNTs and other materials, such as wax, and the effects of layering graphene. The discussion reflects uncertainty about the practical applications of CNTs in exoskeleton technology.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to researchers and engineers exploring advanced materials for exoskeletons, as well as those studying the properties of carbon nanotubes and graphene in various applications.

Dummienoob
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Can we make exoskeletons out of CNTs? I have a few questions
1. Do CNTs expand when electricity is applied or you have to put wax between them?

2. Can we produce enough nanotubes to make a full-body suit?

3. Is graphene suitable for an armor? Some say that when you put a elephant on a pencil and put it on a sheet of graphene, it won't break.

4500 kg - elephant's weight 0.001256 square meters - area of a pencil tip?
force pulling elphant down: 4500*9.8=44 100 N

44 100:0.001256≈35 111 465 Pa
 
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1. I'm not sure how to answer that.

2. Depends on what you consider a body-suit. If you mean covering every area of the human body by a single layer of nanotubes, yes. But you would want much more than a single layer of CNTs for armor.

3. You're misunderstanding the quote there. It's said when you balance an elephant on a pencil and put it on graphene with the thickness of Saran Wrap, the sheet would break.

Assuming saran wrap is 10 microns thick and graphene is ~0.33 nanometers thick, you'd need ~30,000 sheets of graphene. Now there's a problem there. Graphene only has its special properties as a single layer, once you start to stack graphene, it becomes less and less special and eventually becomes graphite. So that quote would awfully hard to test, in my opinion.

tl;dr, I don't think graphene is suitable as an armor just yet, nor do I foresee it being so in the future, but I'm not an expert in armor.
 
I have a site that tells nothing about putting wax between the tubes: http://phys.org/news156781465.html Some say that the wax will make the muscle stronger.
But why is a single nanotube stronger than a bundle of CNTs?
 
For the purpose of armor, CNT based composite, I think, would be the best solution, but extremely expensive.
But not sure it's good idea to use them for artificial muscles in exosceleton. As it said by the link you provided, 'muscle' is made of aerogel based (very rarefied) oriented nanotubes, and stretching effect observed in orthogonal direction.
 
Do carbon nanotubes contract at different strengths depending on how much electrical current you use? This is a question that I really need answered. Thank you.
 
Elijthaley said:
Do carbon nanotubes contract at different strengths depending on how much electrical current you use? This is a question that I really need answered. Thank you.

I would be surprised if applying currents to carbon nanotubes caused them to change physical shape or size.
 
I found out the answer to my question by asking Dr. Fadel who has a Ph.D. in nanotechnology. He said that carbon nanotubes contract/expand depending on the coefficient of thermal expansion (and you can increase this coefficient by adding more electrical current). Thank you though.
 

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