BRIEF HISTORY OF CNTs

Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) were first observed in the 1950s by Roger Bacon, again observed by Morinobu Endo in the 1970s.  Sumio Iijima of IBM is largely credited with observing and producing single and
multi-wall CNTs in 1991. 
History compiled mostly from: http://www.nanogloss.com

A variety of nano-shapes can be produced:

TUBE

SCROLL

HORN (cone)
HERRINGBONE (stacked cones)
FULLERENE (spherical)
ONIONS (concentric spheres)

COILS

BAMBOO SHOOTS
PEAPODS (fullerenes inside a tube)
BUDS/WINGS (tubes with structural bulges)



GRAPHENE -- Imagine a carbon nanotube unrolled into a sheet, which is also considered transparent.  One atom thick sheet of carbon atoms.  Discovered in 2004. 

As you now know, Steel is made up mostly of carbon atoms, usually with varying, but small, amounts of other elements which produce specific performance alloys.  So, naturally we should look to carbon nanotechnology for keys to advancing this element of concrete.

See video regarding current and possible applications of CNTs