Nanotube protection
Video sequences reveal how different additives affect the behaviour of a plastic material (PMMA) when heated under fire-like conditions. The top two rows show behaviour during heating, and the bottom shows the final residue. Unmodified PMMA (left) behaves like a liquid, bubbling vigorously and leaving almost no residue. Adding a tiny dash (0.5 wt percent) of single-walled carbon nanotubes (centre) nearly eliminated bubbling; the residue was slightly thinner than the original sample, and it had a smooth undulating surface. Numerous small "islands" formed during heating of the material with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and vigorous bubbling was observed among islands. With continued heating, islands eventually coagulated, forming large islands separated by deep cracks. Image credit: NIST