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.
