New research discovers unexpected variations in behavior of
nanotubes made of different materials.
Nanotubes — microscopic cylinders the shape of drinking
straws, but just one-thousandth the diameter of a human hair — have been the
subject of intensive research, with potential uses ranging from solar cells to
chemical sensors to reinforced composite materials. Most of the research has
centered on carbon nanotubes, but other nanotubes’ properties appear to be
similar.