4 ms·

Silicon is hardly some wild exotic material, we are talking about 30% of the Earth's crust here. I can understand worrying if this could impact other things in

by Latty 3y ago

Silicon is hardly some wild exotic material, we are talking about 30% of the Earth's crust here. I can understand worrying if this could impact other things in this form, but I'm not sure why making it out of copper or steel instead would matter.

flybrand 3y ago
Agreed - we’ve got a lot of ‘forever materials’ out on the beach and converted into glass windows.
- thsksbd 3y ago
  Hardly nano scale shaped fibers, are they? And btw, silicosis from weathering sand is a thing.
thsksbd 3y ago
But the shape isn't that common. Except in things that are highly regulated materials, like asbestos, which is long fibers of SiO2. SiO2, which is exactly what these Si fibers will become as soon as it is in contact with air. A material that can puncture cell membranes and is almost certainly a catalyst.
- Latty 3y ago
  I don't really understand the focus on the material rather than the shape then, why would copper in this shape not be a problem?
  - thsksbd 3y ago
    Because SiO2 is one of the most stable minerals known, whereas copper and iron (and their oxides) are not; they readily chemically and biologically available and will be dealt with by the body. Keeping iron from dissolving is hard Dissolving SiO2 is nearly impossible (one of the many great advantages SiO2 brings in Si in lithograpjy). EDIT: You can do these experiment at home! Buy very fine iron wool and some fiber glass. The giber glass is a stand in for asbestos. Warning! these experiments involve fire or the evolution of corrosive fluids. Blow torch the iron and glass wool. How do they fare? WARNING! This fire is very hard to put out. Mix bleach with iron wool and glass wool. Mix vinegar. Note, for best results use organic apple vinegar with the mother, or a too shelf Japanese rice vinegar Mist the iron wool and the fiber glass with water. RESULT: In all these experiments glass was unfazed. Iron didn't make it in any. Sometimes violently.

by Latty 3y ago

flybrand 3y ago

Agreed - we’ve got a lot of ‘forever materials’ out on the beach and converted into glass windows.

thsksbd 3y ago
Hardly nano scale shaped fibers, are they? And btw, silicosis from weathering sand is a thing.

thsksbd 3y ago

But the shape isn't that common. Except in things that are highly regulated materials, like asbestos, which is long fibers of SiO2. SiO2, which is exactly what these Si fibers will become as soon as it is in contact with air. A material that can puncture cell membranes and is almost certainly a catalyst.

Latty 3y ago
I don't really understand the focus on the material rather than the shape then, why would copper in this shape not be a problem?
- thsksbd 3y ago
  Because SiO2 is one of the most stable minerals known, whereas copper and iron (and their oxides) are not; they readily chemically and biologically available and will be dealt with by the body. Keeping iron from dissolving is hard Dissolving SiO2 is nearly impossible (one of the many great advantages SiO2 brings in Si in lithograpjy). EDIT: You can do these experiment at home! Buy very fine iron wool and some fiber glass. The giber glass is a stand in for asbestos. Warning! these experiments involve fire or the evolution of corrosive fluids. Blow torch the iron and glass wool. How do they fare? WARNING! This fire is very hard to put out. Mix bleach with iron wool and glass wool. Mix vinegar. Note, for best results use organic apple vinegar with the mother, or a too shelf Japanese rice vinegar Mist the iron wool and the fiber glass with water. RESULT: In all these experiments glass was unfazed. Iron didn't make it in any. Sometimes violently.