Microscopy & Microtechniques
Carbon nanotubes used for 'space camouflage'
Nov 23 2011
Scientists have used carbon nanotubes as a camouflage for three-dimensional objects.
A team from the University of Michigan has used the carbon nanotubes, which are cylindrical sheets of graphene just one atom thick to obscure objects so that they are effectively invisible under white light.
The 'invisibility cloak' works because carbon nanotube "forests" have a low index of refraction, very similar to that of air, meaning that there is very little reflection or scattering of light as it moves between air and nanotube.
To illustrate their findings, the scientists etched a tiny 3D image of a tank out of silicon and covered it in a carbon nanotube coating, when viewed under white light it appeared as nothing more than a black sheet.
The team suggested that the discovery could be used to provide camouflage for spacecraft in deep space.
Haofei Shi, the report's lead author, said the material "acts as a perfect black cloth that can completely conceal the 3D structure of the object".
Posted by Ben Evans
Digital Edition
ILM 49.5 July
July 2024
Chromatography Articles - Understanding PFAS: Analysis and Implications Mass Spectrometry & Spectroscopy Articles - MS detection of Alzheimer’s blood-based biomarkers LIMS - Essent...
View all digital editions
Events
Jul 30 2024 Jakarta, Indonesia
Jul 31 2024 Chengdu, China
ACS National Meeting - Fall 2024
Aug 18 2024 Denver, CO, USA
Aug 25 2024 Copenhagen, Denmark
Aug 28 2024 Phnom Penh, Cambodia