Carbon nanotubes as energy storage
Courtesy ghutchis

Carbon nanotube springs may be better than batteries

What does a mousetrap have in common with a wind-up clock? A spring. A spring can provide energy to run a clock for days. A mouse trap spring can deliver a quick, deadly energy burst. Unlike batteries, energy stored in a spring can last hundreds of years and is usually not diminished by extreme cold or heat.

1000 times the energy density of a steel spring

MIT scientist, Carol Livermore, "did a combination of mathematical analysis and small-scale laboratory testing to determine the potential of carbon nanotubes to be used as springs for energy storage" MITnews.

Lots of basic research and engineering challenges remain

The nanospring concept is sound in theory and may even be patented. Working out the details to provide a working device using carbon-nano-tubes to store and re-deliver energy will require plenty of additional basic research, followed by engineering work.

Sources:

• "Storing elastic energy in carbon nanotubes," by F. A. Hill, Carol Livermore et al, in Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, Aug. 26, 2009, and
• "Modeling mechanical energy storage in springs based on carbon nanotubes," F. A. Hill, Carol Livermore et al, in Nanotechnology, June 3, 2009
• Small springs could provide big power MITnews.

Tags : nano, nanotechnology, CNT, carbon nanotubes, energy, MIT, Carol Livermore, springs, materials

read more... | add a comment | share

Were you a fan of the Mentos and Diet Coke fountains that EepyBird created? If so, you might tune in to "Samurai Girl" tonight (7pm, ABC) to see EepyBird's experiments with more than 250,000 sticky notes. You can also check out an extended version of the video, complete with how-tos, at EepyBird.com.

Here's a sneak peek, but definitely check the EepyBird site tonight for more.

Tags : gravity, sticky notes, post it notes, EepyBird, TV, experiment, folding, springs

read more... | add a comment | share