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week3- Edward Kil- Nanotechnology



This week in Nanotechnology I have learned the process of developing a circuit board. The circuit board is constructed with three layers, Copper, being the most important material within the three layers. Copper is a conductor which acts as a passageway for the electrons. The layers above the coppers helps with the process of masking which aids the masking process for the copper to develop its shape.
For those who are familiar with the new development of circuit boards, it is not a surprise that copper is the main source of tracer within a circuit board. Nowadays, the conventional copper trace is around 35um. And anything smaller can cause a lot of problems due to the molecular structure not being able to support the thinness of the copper trace. This made me ask myself a question relating to Nanotechnology. Can nanotechnology be able to solve this problem? If so how?.

To tackle my question, I had to surf around the vast knowledge of the internet and gather myself some information about materials that were developed in the research of nanotechnology. Throughout my research, I came across the popular invention of  nanotubes created from the carbon molecules. The Carbon tube has many properties that will help tackle the current problems with our modern tracers.
The conventional trace of copper in comparison to the size of a carbon nanotube is drastically different. The average copper trace is about 35um while nanotube can be as thin as 0.3nm. If I were to equate 35um to nm, the result would 35,000nm. This means that a nanotube has the structural ability to hold itself even in such small measurements. This puts the carbon nanotube at an advantage as copper trace often have defects when thinned out too much.
Another important note to take is that carbon nanotubes are actually better at conducting than metals such as copper. In 2009 University of Buffalo has claimed that nanotubes are far more superior to other metallic materials due to its perfection in structure. Copper and metals on the other hand fall short in conductibility due to the imperfections in its molecular structure making the material unpredictable when tested in a microscoping settings.
The Strength and Flex of the nanotube should not be ignored when looking for alternative dependency from copper trace. The strength of a nanotube is stronger than steel it self. Because of the carbon structure (hexagonal formation), the structure can easily distribute even force throughout the structure. Nonetheless, due to its structure, flexibility is also a property that engineers can now use to their advantage. Copper on the other hand is more malleable than flexible which restricts the use of copper traces on flat surfaces. However, Nanotube can now be used to help create a new platform.
If innovative thinkers spend the time thinking about the advantages of Nanotubes, it could really create a new age for technology. Image a circuit board not being restricted to a flat surface but maybe cylindrical. Or maybe a circuit board that is flexible with nanotubes being integrated into it allowing for flexible devices or even artificial organs. The possibility is endless for the innovative minds that are willing to reach further and tackle new problems.

Works Cited
"Carbon Nanotubes Are Superior To Metals For Electronics, According to Engineers." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 28 Mar. 2009. Web.
"CNT Technology Overview." What Are Carbon Nanotubes? N.p., n.d. Web.
How It's Made: Circuit Boards. How It's Made. N.p., 1 June 2007. Web.
Johnson, Todd. "Learn How Carbon Fiber Tubes Are Made." ThoughtCo. N.p., n.d. Web.
"Scanning the Properties of Nanotubes." Properties of Carbon Nanotubes. Hawk's Perch Technical Writing, n.d. Web.

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