design

Bucky Paper,, or carbon nanofiber (an achievement of nanotechnology), has been in the works for a few years now. It’s suppose to have the dexterity of regular paper, could be cut with scissors, yet be as strong as steel. Sounds like the Superman of papers, eh? I wonder though–if and when it hits the commercial market–how affordable would it be and would the general public have access to it? The speculation for uses is pretty impressive:
biological applications, replacement of metals for usage in planes, tv’s, and more. Instead of “going green”, we could “go bucky”. (Cheesy, I know) This power paper could perhaps lessen the need for certain natural resources–metal and wood–but of course, I’m no scientist, so hopefully, it’s environmentally sound.

As an artist/designer on the constant lookout for new materials, bucky paper sounds very promising. Besides the noble uses for it, this could open new doors for printing technology–if it is in fact printable. Fast-forward to a world with affordable bucky paper. . . Given that we live in a user-generated society–we could perhaps place personalized artwork on household furnishings–countertops, refrigerators–or even cars and bikes. Perhaps textbooks for schools? Or simply having archival gallery materials.