The new glass nanofiber is 15 times firmer than steel

China Coatings Online News Information:
british scientists have developed glass nanofibers 15 times harder than steel. Scientists at the Centre for Photoelectronics Research (ORC) at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom recently pioneered the development of a glass (silicon dioxide) nanofiber that is thousands of times thinner than hair but 15 times harder than steel and is the world's highest strength and lightest "nanowire", according to China Coatings Onlineexperts. The findings were presented at a recent seminar at the Royal Society International Centre. Carbon nanotubes have historically been the strongest substances, but their high strength can only be measured in samples only a few microns long, with little practical value. So scientists around the world have been trying to find ultra-high-strength composites. Now Dr Gilberto Brambira of the University of Southampton and Professor David Payne have worked together to create the highest-strength, lightest silica nanofiber, 15 times stronger than steel, and likely to be 1,000km long.
to make synthetic fibers, the most important thing is to achieve high strength with low defect rates and light weight fibers," said Brambira, a senior manufacturer of synthetic fibers. In general, if you increase the strength of a fiber, you have to increase its diameter and weight, but studies have shown that reducing the size of silica nanofibers increases its strength, but it is still very lightweight. We are the only ones who have optimized these fiber strengths so far. He added: "The discovery could change the world's composite materials and the high intensity of these materials in the future, and would have a huge impact on industries such as oceans, aviation and security." The composite material has potential uses and is expected to be widely used in the manufacture and production of aircraft, speedboats and helicopters. Payne explains: "In contrast, silica nanowires are 15 times harder than high-strength steel and 10 times stronger than conventional reinforced fiberglass. We can reduce the amount of material used, thereby reducing the weight of the object. Silicon and oxygen, which produce nanowires, are the most common sustainable and inexpensive elements in the crust. According
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experts, in addition, they can produce tons of silicon dioxide nanofibers for use in the current optical fiber power network. "What's particularly challenging is how to handle such small fibers, which are nearly a thousand times thinner than a person's hair, " says Brambira. In fact, when they become very, very small, they behave in completely different ways, no longer as fragile and cracked as glass, but as soft as plastic, which means they have the toughness to be pulled. Mr Brambira said: "The results of this study will undoubtedly attract the attention of many companies around the world and could be used to transform industries such as aviation, navigation and safety. Potential applications of nanowires in the future are being tested worldwide. "Glass nanofibers are 15 times harder than steel, which will lead to a small material revolution.
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