Carbon Nanotubes Might Be Used in Future Water Filters
Nanotechnology seems to be invading all facets of modern life, from the pills you take to the batteries that power your iPod. Pretty soon, carbon nanotubes may even filter your water.
Researchers at the Bhabha Atomic Research Center in India are investigating the hollow carbon fibers as a potential water filter. They believe the unique chemical properties of nanotubes mean that only water molecules can pass through their interiors, while toxic metal ions, viruses, and bacteria cannot.
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Additionally, the smooth, water-repellent interior of the nanotubes means that a filter made from the technology would have a high flow rate of water without fouling—so it would be very efficient.
But there’s still plenty of work to be done before carbon nanotubes are a viable option for filtering. The Indian research team is currently trying to engineer nanoscale structures to form arrangements that can efficiently decontaminate water.
With the rapid rise of contaminated drinking water around the world, solutions are desperately needed. Since poor countries are more likely to lack access to drinking water, a carbon nanotube filter will be most useful if it is both simple and cheap to operate and maintain. And if that massive hurdle is surpassed, developing nations may suddenly be a lot better off.
I don’t know if any of you actually read the article in question, but I suggest you look at it before you jump to hasty biased conclusions.
I checked it out online and they already patented this filter, which I believe is one of the most promising inventions ever done. The only serious drawback is, I admit, the price, which was never mentioned anywhere, but for normal bulk nanotubes 1000-5000$/kg is no exception, so… If they are able to lower this significantly and come up with an industrial process of high enough output, they’ll become richer than rich and basically solve the world’s drinking water problem in the same go!
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