Researchers have discovered that carbon fibers in composites can be made stronger and tougher by coating the with additional microscopic carbon nanotubes. This process can be used to make critical aircraft components and other machinery nearly unbreakable. Carbon is in its crystalline form has very high strength and hardness and as nanocarbon fiber is even stronger than steel. But when it comes to making more rigid structures such as airplane parts, carbon fiber has to be sandwiched in alternating layers with epoxy resin, and this resin becomes the weak link in the overall laminate. But high stress can make it to fracture, which can be disastrous for an aircraft in flight. Interlaminar fracture can be completely avoided using carbon fibers in composites by coating the with additional microscopic carbon nanotubes.
High temperature strength
Researchers at University of California have developed a process for metals to be stabilized and strengthened, especially at high temperatures, by the addition of diamondoid. Diamondoid materials for nanotechnology include graphite, carbon nanotubes consisting of sheets of carbon atoms rolled into tubes, spherical buckyballs and other graphene structures. Such nanocrystalline alloys can provide superior mechanical and electrical properties than their coarse-grained counterparts. The process readily produces fine grained and nanocrystalline metals and alloys of greater high temperature strength and stability.