Scientists were able to build a machine that can "unboil" an egg by untying its proteins. It can also cut through strong carbon nanotubes, which is a process that can revolutionize electronics and drugs.
Flinders University scientists have revealed the Vortex Fluidic Device (VFD) has the ability to slice carbon nanotubes with great precision, and within just a year, these nanotubes can be commercialized.
In September 2015, the researchers received an Ig Nobel prize for figuring out a way to do something that seems impossible - partially unboiling an egg. When boiled, the egg proteins unfold and refold, until they get entangled. This device can slice CNTs to an average length of 170 nanometers using laser, a solvent and water.
With its ability to cut super strong carbon nanotubes, the small machine offers potential uses, perhaps in formulating cancer drugs and solar panels.
"Importantly for this technology is that we have uniformity in products. It opens it up for applications in drug delivery if you can get all of the carbon nanotubes to about 100 nanometers ... the ideal length for getting into tumors so you can actually functionalize them to target cancer cells," said Professor Colin Raston of Flinders University.
"Uniformity in products also means that you can improve the solar cell efficiency in solar cell devices," he added.
Carbon nanotubes are tubular cylinders of carbon atoms that contain unique electrical, mechanical, optical, thermal and chemical properties. These can be used in a wide range of industries such as electronics, automotive and energy storage.
Each tube exhibits 200 times tougher and five times the elasticity of steel. It is also five times the electrical conductivity, 1,000 times the current capacity and 15 times the thermal conductivity of copper, with just nearly half the density of aluminium.
VFD cuts these nanotubes without heating, as a result, manufacturers can easily use these in their products. Apart from medicine and biochemistry, these tubes can be used in chemistry, physics, mineral processing and even food processing.
In electronics, carbon nanotubes can replace metals used in electronic devices that are lighter, more durable and redeveloped.
"We are now investigating the wide range of commercial possibilities for the precision-cut nanotubes," said Kasturi Vimalanathan, a doctorate student, who contributed to the development of the device.
