There ’s a understanding why we call it the “ Mar of progress ” or else of the “ moonwalk of progress . ” applied science is meant to move steadily forward , but there are still raft of time when tech has inexplicably revoke course on us . One of the most striking exemplar are Damascus brand .
Damascus blade are the clobber of fable – literally . When Richard the Great faced Saladin , Richard is say to have proved his sword ’s might by chop a tree automobile trunk in one-half with a single blow . Saladin contain a silk scarf joint , bedevil it into the air , and have it waft down over his brand , where it was right away cut in two .
Saladin was not the last one to get a Damascene brand , but he was nigh to the last than to the first . Eventually , the knowledge died out , and the great unwashed have been trying to animate the swords ever since . This was obviously a step backward in terms of skill , but mass did n’t realize how much of a step back until the former 2000s . When scientist took a look at the swords , they found carbon carbon nanotube and nanowires engraft in them .
As far as we can tell , the nanotubes were created by suffer the impureness levels correctly in the steel - making process . Damascus steel is ill - refer , as it to begin with come from India . It has a 1.5 percent carbon copy impurity tier , and is usually known as Wootz steel – which , arguably , is an even worse name . The blade spring a band structure . There ’s a central band of Fe3C , an iron and carbon compounding that is tellingly named cementite , surrounded by voiced steel . As the brand is made , the Divine criss - crosses these band carefully , making a matrix of operose and easy that leaves the sword both inviolable and flexile . At the remainder of the process , the maker pour acid on the sword . This eats away some of the softer blade , but allow for the nanotube and nanowires , and creates an ultra - strong , crisp verboten layer . It also brings out a swirling pattern of sullen and light bands that mark it as a Damascus steel .
Why did this mental process , so apparently utile , get lost ? Nobody entirely experience . Some say that certain regions of India had an abundance of the Fe and carbon deposits and formed the cloth course . When it was mine out , no one knew how to make it . Others think the knowledge was lost due to social Sturm und Drang . There ’s also the possibleness that the sword craft just conk out over hundreds of year of decline relevance . Some swords from the 1800s tolerate some of the marks of low - caliber Damascene blade . Arguably , the proficiency is n’t recede at all , as some scientists claim to have re - discovered the process . If we do n’t have swords , we at least still have C nanotubes .
[ reference : National Geographic , Journal of the Minerals , Forbes India ]
range : Tin Type .
carbon copy nanotubesScience
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