Carbon Nanotubes

Steve Jobson

For centuries, humans have burned coal to warm themselves. Weve used diamonds to
cut through solid stone. And now, carbon may be a key step on the road to curing the blind. An
international team led by Prof. Yael Hanein of Tel Aviv University recently developed a means by
which the blind could be able to see again. Their work was published on December 2, 2014, by
the American Friends of Tel Aviv University.
Carbon nanotubes are a type of fullerene, which is a molecule of carbon in a hollow 3-D
form. They are known for their high tensile strength, which is so great that it can be used for
body armor. Although we have been aware of them since the early 1950s, thanks to efforts by
Russian scientists, L. V. Radushkevich and V. M. Lukyanovich, only in the past decade or so
have carbon nanotubes become a commonly known material. Now, IBM is experimenting with
nanotubes to make nano-scale transistors that outperform traditional silicon. They were also
alloyed into the winner of the 2006 Tour de Frances bicycle. Clearly, nanotubes have some
impact on the high-tech aspects of our culture. But can they cure blindness?
The device constructed by the research group essentially functions as an artificial retina,
the part of the eye which is responsible for determining light and color. The human retina has
two types of receptor cells: rods, which are responsible for light, and cones, which handle color.
The malfunction of either of these can lead to serious vision impairment, including blindness.
The retina is connected to the optic nerve, which transfers information to the brain. The retinas
purpose is to take the light diffracted by the lens, and piece it together into a picture, which is
essentially how you are reading this article.
The nanotube is a big compilation of covalently-bonded carbon atoms. What this means
is that the negatively charged electrons on the outside of the atoms hold multiple atoms
together, giving it a massive intramolecular force to keep it in its shape. In short, the reason a
nanotube is so tough is because its like a tower made of rope tied in knots. The individual
strands are weak, but together, theyre very hard to break apart. To make the artificial retina, the
nanotubes are joined together with semiconductor-based nanorods. A nanorod is a 1-100nm
type of nanoscale object. The semi-conductive properties of these nanorods make them
somewhat light sensitive. However, a film made of nanotubes and nanorods would not be
capable of entirely replacing the rods and cones of the actual retina. It is significantly lighter and
less cumbersome than the usual mess of wires and metals used in artificial retinas, and holds
promise for elaboration and continuation.
Although the nanotube is not, in and of itself, capable of acting as a prosthetic retina, the
film has proven itself capable of sending transmissions to the brain, which means that there is
potential for one day curing blindness.