Savvy Sieve: Carbon nanotubes filter petroleum, polluted water
Bridging the gap between the nanoworld and the macroworld, researchers have created a membrane out of carbon nanotubes and demonstrated its potential for filtering petroleum and treating contaminated drinking water.
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Scientists have long valued carbon nanotubes for their high strength and thermal properties (SN: 6/5/04, p. 363: Available to subscribers at http://sciencenews.org/articles/20040605/bob10.asp), yet it’s been a challenge to assemble nanotubes into useful materials large enough for people to hold in their hands.