Carbon Nanotubes and Its Electrical Properties



Nanotubes
This week we learned about self-assembly which is a process where a disordered system spontaneously forms an organized structure. It is dependent on local interactions among components, without direct intervention. 

I researched more into carbon nanotubes because they are exceptionally strong and lightweight yet they are created through self assembly. In addition, they have extraordinary thermal conductivity, mechanical, and electrical properties allowing them to find applications in various structural materials. 
I delved more into the nanotubes’ electrical property and was able to find an article detailing findings on a carbon nanotube yarn that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. Scientists tangled carbon nanotubes into yarn which was then submerged into an electrolyte gel that was able to generate a small current of electricity when tensile or torsional motion was applied to it. They called these Twistron yarn. 
A small piece of this Twistron yarn was sewn into clothing and scientists were able to find that a small amount of electricity is generated when the wearer breathes in and out. If this yarn was able to be fully integrated into athletic wear, people would be able to generate energy by exercising or just by breathing. Certainly at this stage of development though it would be hard to implement the nanotube yarn completely into clothing but if small parts of it were able to seamlessly blend in, it could prove to be a useful source of renewable energy. 




Sources

Kim, Shi Hyeong, et al. “Harvesting electrical energy from carbon nanotube yarn twist.” Science, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 25 Aug. 2017, science.sciencemag.org/content/357/6353/773?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=digital&utm_campaign=vid-nanoyarnpaper-14846. Accessed 25 Sept. 2017.

 Andrew WagnerAug. 24, 2017 , 1:54 PM. “These tangled carbon nanotubes can harvest energy directly from breathing and ocean waves.” Science | AAAS, 24 Aug. 2017, www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/08/these-tangled-carbon-nanotubes-can-harvest-energy-directly-breathing-and-ocean-waves?utm_source=general_public&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=vid-nanoyarn-14845. Accessed 25 Sept. 2017.

 RiceUniversity. “Nanotubes assemble! Rice introduces Teslaphoresis.” YouTube, YouTube, 14 Apr. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1d0Lg6wuvc. Accessed 25 Sept. 2017.

 ScienceMag. “These tangled carbon nanotubes can harvest energy directly from breathing and ocean waves.” YouTube, YouTube, 24 Aug. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt2vGlC4uRc. Accessed 25 Sept. 2017.

 “What are Carbon Nanotubes?” What are Carbon Nanotubes, www.understandingnano.com/what-are-carbon-nanotubes.html. Accessed 25 Sept. 2017.

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