Cheaper Nanotubes
Although carbon nanotubes were discovered 15 years ago, their use has been limited due to the complex, dangerous, and expensive methods for their production.

Now, NASA Goddard Space Center researcher Dr. Jeannette Benavides – a Costa Rican – developed a simpler, safer, and much less costly manufacturing process for carbon nanotubes.

The key to the innovation developed by Dr. Benavides was the ability to produce nanotubes without using a metal catalyst, dramatically reducing pre- and post-production costs, while generating higher yields of better quality product.

With the Costa Rican discovery, nanotubes – which are stronger than steel – are most likely to go from us$500 to us$1 per gram.