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Rocketing into the New Millenium On the Nanotube

© Adam Hughes

The search for new ways of accomplishing old tasks and for completely new technologies pervades our world today like never before. Just about any company you can think of has an Information Technology, where all of the conveniences of modern computer systems are put to good use. Computer chips drive nearly everly gadget we encounter, and even our children's toys have evolved into hi-tech affairs. It's probably little wonder, then, that the people who brought you the Moon Walk are still searching for new ways to do things and pushing the frontiers of science in a number of fields. Indeed, NASA has its sights set stealthily somewhere beyond the lunar horizon, and they need new technologies to take them there. Like many other scientific communities, NASA has major undertakings planned around the development of nanotechnology.

In one of the many scenarios being bandied about for the use of carbon nanotubes, NASA physicists envision the creation of carbon-based electronic components hundreds of times smaller than the tiniest silicon-based products now in use. Because of the graphitic nature of carbon nanotubes, their electrical properties can theoretically be controlled by the precise manipulation of the pentagonal, hexagonal, and heptagonal carbon rings of which they are constructed. Obviously, such small devices could be of great use to NASA, where they strive to rid themselves of every excess gram of material possible while still maintaining functionality for space flights. As a first step toward making these electronic devices reality, NASA researchers have employed modern chemical simulation technologies.

Dr. Deepak Srivastava, of NASA's Ames Research Center, conducted quantum molecular dynamics simulations on the nanotube structures, and found that the junction between adjacent tubes may be fertile ground for the development of switches, transistors, and amplifiers. Dr. Srivastava has also conducted computational studies looking at possible nanotube gears, motors, and other nanodevices. Some of his work can be seen at

http://science.nas.nasa.gov/~deepak/home... http://ccf.arc.nasa.gov/dx/basket/storie... http://science.nas.nasa.gov/Groups/Nanot...

The computational studies of carbon nanotubes and their potential applications is a perfect example of simulation helping to solve real-world problems. Armed with these findings, experimental scientists will have a road map with which to plan their investigations into new electronic material discovery. Because they know what to look for, their mission should be a lot less bumpy than it could have been. As for us, we'll just hang around here on Earth awhile longer until all the details of the Mars Launcher are worked out. In the meantime, we'll continue to look at the important contributions of scientific computing to our everyday lives.

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