Carbon nanotubes in Damascus steel

Timo Nieminen · 3rd March 2013, 08:08 PM

"Nano" is the flavour of the decade, so the magic of nano is pushed, both in the media (good and bad, e.g., "grey goo") and research papers.

Without doubt, that there are carbon nanotubes in the steel matters - if the excess carbon isn't in nanotubes, it will end up in graphite sheets which will seriously weaken the steel ("why is cast iron so brittle?"). So, they explain the relative lack of bad effects of such a high carbon content. Whether they explain the good properties is another story.

DaveA · 4th March 2013, 12:02 AM

Unless we discover time travel, or an authoritative source, we will never know. I appreciate your carbon nano-tubes flavor-of-the-month comment. However, I do think it is a promising idea, if not only to help explain Damascus steel then to inspire metallurgy for new swords.

4th March 2013, 12:02 AM	#2
DaveA Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 416	We will never know Unless we discover time travel, or an authoritative source, we will never know. I appreciate your carbon nano-tubes flavor-of-the-month comment. However, I do think it is a promising idea, if not only to help explain Damascus steel then to inspire metallurgy for new swords.

3rd March 2013, 08:08 PM	#1
Timo Nieminen Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 422	"Nano" is the flavour of the decade, so the magic of nano is pushed, both in the media (good and bad, e.g., "grey goo") and research papers. Without doubt, that there are carbon nanotubes in the steel matters - if the excess carbon isn't in nanotubes, it will end up in graphite sheets which will seriously weaken the steel ("why is cast iron so brittle?"). So, they explain the relative lack of bad effects of such a high carbon content. Whether they explain the good properties is another story.