4 ms·
The bulk modulus of superhard phase nanotubes is 462 to 546 GPa, even higher than that of diamond. Engineering a wire under pressure whose whole length is comp
by btilly 6y ago
The bulk modulus of superhard phase nanotubes is 462 to 546 GPa, even higher than that of diamond.
Engineering a wire under pressure whose whole length is compressed by a structure made out of carbon nanotubes is clearly difficult, but seems theoretically possible. It is very likely beyond our current engineering capabilities. But in principle it is a technology that we could try to develop.
For example at low temperature you assemble a wire that has a high thermal coefficient of expansion down the center of the wire. Then the superconductor around that in a ring. Then a carbon nanotube sheathe around that which traps things. Then when it warms up the core squeezes the superconductor against the sheathe and you get the pressure.
- Someone 6y agoThat sounds like a very large version of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Rupert's_drop https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Rupert's_drop. When you hit one end the wire with a hammer, or drop something on it, the entire wire might explode.
- btilly 6y agoYeah. When something is under that much pressure, the failure modes tend to be..interesting.
- colechristensen 6y agoMaybe if you’re writing science fiction or have a time machine, not if you’re an engineer. For starters the bulk modulus is about deformation, not strength. Second issue is that you’d be creating explosive cable. Go watch some youtube videos of tempered glass exploding and then imagine what a material under 1000 times the pressure would look like in failure. The whole excitement about room temperature superconductors is getting rid of the difficulty of cooling, the difficulty of this pressure requirement is easily much worse.