Nanotube

What Does Nanotube Mean?

A nanotube is a nanoscale material that has a tube-like structure. Nanotube structures have many applications in the general field of nanotechnology, which is a relatively recent field with much potential, as well as some significant liabilities.

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Techopedia Explains Nanotube

A nanotube can be made from various materials such as carbon, boron or silicon. Each of these has its own applications to new technologies.

Carbon nanotubes, for instance, have been found useful as an agent for certain kinds of coatings for consumer products. In addition, carbon nanotubes (and silicon nanotubes) can be useful as a conductor in nanoscale projects or as an agent for measuring certain kinds of frequencies.

Although nanotubes have a lot of potential, like other nanoscale projects, there are big questions about risks concerning coherence or cohesiveness, such as whether nanomaterials are safe and whether they may stay together or break off into tiny airborne bits. These are some of the issues about nanotubes and other nanomaterials as companies look at bringing new products and services to market that use nanotechnology.

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…