4 ms·

You'd most certainly saturate the market, which is estimated to demand < 10k tons right now: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/carbon-nanotubes

• jws 10y ago
  But where would the market go when carbon nanotubes and fibers move from exotic and expensive materials to "cheaper than aluminum". It could displace a lot of aluminum and steel.
  • ams6110 10y ago
    Interesting possibilities, right? Imagine automobiles, bridges, buildings all built with carbon frames at a cost potentially far lower than current aluminum or steel, and also consuming a fraction of the energy to produce?
    • TheSpiceIsLife 10y ago
      I'm generally not a big fan of the drive by pithy comment, but: Space elevator!
    • bduerst 10y ago
      Well carbon fiber doesn't bend, so for car frames it wouldn't be the best choice since crumple zones would be non-existent. There will probably be some good applications, but I don't think it's a full replacement for metals.