Chinese Carbon Nanotube Insulator

 

Scientists are searching for new, advanced materials that can block heat while also being thin and lightweight. In a paper published in Advanced Functional Materials, Chinese researchers at Tsinghua University describe how they stacked and wound together very thin, flexible films of carbon nanotubes to create an insulation material called super-aligned carbon nanotube films (SACNT-SF). This revolutionary material blocks heat more effectively than any other known insulator at high temperatures.

The new carbon nanotube insulator can withstand high temperatures up to 2,600°C, outperforming all other materials used for extreme-temperature applications. This breakthrough could be used for heat shields on hypersonic vehicles and spacecraft during re-entry into the atmosphere and in other high-temperature environments.

In addition to its superior insulation, SACNT-SF is also remarkably durable. It can withstand repeated heating and cooling cycles and remains stable up to 3,000°C in an argon atmosphere. And unlike bulky insulation material, this innovative substance is made of paper-thin films that can easily bend around a variety of shapes.

Read more here: Breakthrough carbon nanotube material sets new thermal insulation record