No. 330: Sticky carbon fiber applicable to the development of various new materials (October 18, 2011)

Teijin and Eiichi Yasuda, a professor ofemeritus of Tokyo Institute of Technology, developed new carbon fiber applicable to the development of various new materials. The new carbon fiber has an oval end surface and a structure that piles up tenuous sheets where carbon atoms are aligned. Because the fiber surface is liable to bring about chemical reactions, it can be used to create an electrode material that causes a reaction to create electricity. In addition, a composite material can be created should it bind together with other substances. The new carbon fiber has an oval end surface with a long axis that is 100-300 nanometers long and a short axis that is 50-100 nanometers long.

It is a kind of carbon nanofiber. It can possibly be used for a drug delivery system and hydrogen storage. The research team presumes that it has a wider range of applications than carbon nanotube that has no hands of chemical combination on the fiber surface. It plans to put the new carbon material into practical use in five years