Researchers at the national institute of standards and technology (NIST) have developed a uniform multi-wall carbon nanotube based fireproof coating that reduces the flammability of commonly used foam interiors. Compared with untreated foam, carbon nanotubes coated with polyurethane foam were 35% less flammable.

    The researchers uniformly distributed the modified carbon nanotubes and attached them to the upper and lower surfaces of the polymer layer. The resulting coating makes full use of the rapid heat dissipation capacity of carbon nanotubes, and achieves greater ignition and combustion resistance compared with brominated flame retardants, which are often used in soft decoration. At the same time, when the nanotube coating foam is exposed to extreme heat, a "carbon protective layer" barrier is created to prevent the formation of melt pools.

    Nanotechnology is through manipulation of nanoscale materials to achieve the creation and use of materials, devices and systems, for example, in atomic, molecular, and super molecular level control the development of the nanotechnology is increasingly become the focus of the concern of the tech world, who can take the lead in the field, who will be able to occupy the commanding heights of the science in the 21st century. Nano-carbon materials are carbon materials with at least one dimension less than 100 nanometers. There are four types of nano-carbon materials: carbon nanotubes, carbon nanotubes, graphene and carbon acetylene, and carbon nanotubes and graphene are hot spots in recent years due to their excellent properties.

    The elastic modulus of carbon nanotubes is the same as that of diamond, which is about five times as much as steel. Its elastic strain can reach up to 12%, about 60 times of steel and only a fraction of the density of steel. Carbon nanotubes are about 200 times stronger than other fibers and can withstand about 1 million atmospheres of pressure without cracking. Carbon nanotubes show good conductivity, which can reach 10,000 times of copper in a certain direction. The thermal conductivity of carbon nanotubes is higher than that of natural diamond and graphite.