Created nanofibers that are 15 times stronger than steel

British scientists from Southampton University have managed to create the most durable to date in the world of nanofibers of silicon. Thanks to the unique technology created by the material strength exceeds several times the steel. Up to the present time the most durable material was considered to be carbon nanotubes, high strength which was recorded in very short samples of a few microns in length.

These parameters are of minor practical value. In comparison with carbon nanotubes, light and durable silicon nanofibers can be produced in length up to several thousand kilometers! A new invention will find application in military industry, shipbuilding and aircraft manufacturing. Created by British researchers nanofibers is 10 times stronger than glass and 15 times stronger than steel, and for producing such a versatile nanomaterial need only the two most common element in the earth's crust — silicon and oxygen.

Source: brainswork.ru