Metallic fibers superconductors

Fullerene, black and shiny like graphite, is the subject of active current research because of its interesting electronic properties. When allowed to react with rubidium metal, a superconducting material called rubidium fulleride, Rb3C6o, is formed. (We ll discuss superconductors in more detail in Section 21.6.) Carbon nanotubes are being studied for use as fibers in the structural composites used to make golf clubs, bicycle frames, boats, and airplanes. On a mass basis, nanotubes are up to ten times as strong as steel. 

Interest in the development of metal-organic precursors for the lanthanide elements is due to the many important apphcations of lanthanide-containing materials. These include erbium-doped semiconductors for use as optical fiber communications, lanthanide-doped GaN for fiiU color displays, high-temperature superconductors, and lanthanide-doped ferroelectric see Ferroelectricity) phases. Despite the importance of these materials, lanthanide film growth precursors... 

Ho CT, Chung DDL, Carbon fiber reinforced tin-superconductor composites, Bhagat RB, Clauer AH, Kumar P, Ritter AM eds., Minerals, Metals <6 Materials Society Metal Ceramic Matrix Composites, Processing, Modelling <6 Mechanical Behaviour, Minerals, Metals Materials Society Anaheim, 525-533, Feb 19-22, 1990. 

Another example is the discovery of the rare earth metals (REM), seventeen in number. It started at the turn of the century 1800 in two small Swedish villages, Yt-terby in the archipelago of Stockholm and Bastnoes in the province of Vestmanland. For a long time these metals, with their curious names, dysprosium, samarium, ytterbium. .., were of only academic interest Today the rare earth metals attract worldwide technical interest for many advanced apphcations, e.g. batteries, magnets, lasers, fiber optics, RE-doped semiconductors, magneto-optical disks, superconductors and... 

In recent years, the scope of application of lanthanides and their compounds has significantly expanded. They are widely used in the production of optical elements (plasma display panels, optic fibers in telecommunications), metal-halogen lamps, superconductors, highly selective catalysts, hydrogen batteries, magnetic alloys, fuel cells, etc. Scientific investigations of their magnetic, nuclear, optical, thermal, and chemical properties are realized for successful achievements in these fields. 

The nanorod represents an important building block for nanostructures. Nanorods would be useful as reinforcements in metal and ceramic matrix composites as well as ideal structures with which to pin vortices in high-temperature superconductors (119). Whiskers represent attractive reinforcing additives for metal and ceramic matrix compositions to impart more strength to the ceramic object. The superior performance of titanium carbide reinforcements is found in two different forms, discontinuous fiber and hollow microspheres, by controlled morphology carbide synthesis where titanium and carbon precursors combine in specially designed graphite... 

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