Synthesis, characterization and application of carbon nanotubes: the case of aerospace engineering

Publisher Summary Nanotechnology is the design, production, and application of nanomaterials and nanostructures in advanced macro- and micro-systems, through an understanding of the fundamental relationships between physical properties and materials. The synthesis of nanomaterials and nanostructures is an essential aspect of nanotechnology. A real application is possible only when the nanostructured materials are available with the specific properties desired. Nanotechnology offers numerous opportunities for significant improvement in many sectors of the aerospace engineering. By introducing nanostructures and nano-elements, it is possible to design devices and apparatus with properties and characteristics that cannot be obtained by traditional technology. Nanotechnologies are characterized by a strong interdisciplinary character, which allows scientific sectors, typically very different from one another, to work jointly to design advanced systems. Aerospace engineering is characterized by large dimension systems with high performance. For this reason, nanotechnology should overcome the limitations of traditional technologies.