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Silicon fibers are 15 times stronger than steel

16.01.2013

Scientists from the Optoelectronics Research Center have developed a technology to create silicon nanofibers 15 times stronger than steel. At the same time, they can be made very long - theoretically up to thousands of kilometers. The new technology is already of interest to many companies around the world, primarily in the aviation and shipbuilding industries, where there is a need for lightweight and durable composites.

Nanofibers attract attention with their extreme strength. Material properties at the nanoscale are very different from macroscopic samples - some crystalline materials in the form of nanofibers show tensile strengths in excess of 10 GPa. So far, it has been possible to fabricate crystalline nanofibers only a few millimeters long. Longer fibers have many defects that reduce their strength.

Scientists from the Optoelectronics Research Center turned their attention to silicon dioxide nanofibers, the strength of which is less dependent on single defects. In fact, this is ordinary fiberglass, only made at the nanolevel, which made it possible to dramatically increase their strength.

Experiments have shown that silicon dioxide nanofibers are 15 times stronger than high-strength steel and 10 times stronger than ordinary fiberglass fibers. In the future, this will reduce the weight of composite materials while maintaining their strength. Interestingly, the new nanofibers only become stronger as the diameter decreases. It should also be noted that the raw materials for their manufacture are silicon and oxygen, which are very common elements of the earth's crust. In addition, silicon dioxide nanofibers can be produced by the ton, just like conventional optical fiber, which is widely used in communication technologies today.

A new type of fiber could change the future of composite materials: nanofibers could make planes, helicopters, boats, and so on stronger and lighter.

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Startup IndoorAtlas, founded in 2012 by scientists from the University of Oulu in Finland, announced the development of a technology that allows you to determine the user's coordinates with an accuracy of 0,1-2 meters without using any satellite navigation system and any external equipment. The technology does not require any external equipment, including Wi-Fi access points.

The technology is intended for use inside structures where the signal of GPS or any other satellite system is poorly received or not received at all. To determine the coordinates inside buildings, the Earth's magnetic field is used, which in any building that has steel elements in its structure, takes on a unique pattern. This magnetic field pattern is used to map the building, on which the user's location is then determined using a conventional electronic compass, which is equipped with modern smartphones.

Nature itself helped develop the technology. Scientists believe that animals can determine their location by the Earth's magnetic field. The company claims to be the first to find practical applications for magnetic anomalies inside structures. It is worth adding that the IndoorAtlas technology was successfully tested in a mine at a depth of 1,4 km.

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