Monomolecular wire: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Single strand of atoms or molecules}} |
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'''Monomolecular wire''' is a type of wire consisting of a single strand of strongly bonded atoms or molecules, like [[carbon nanotube]]s. |
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{{misleading|date=August 2012}} |
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{{overly detailed|date=January 2011}} |
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'''Monomolecular wire''' (not to be confused with "mono[[Electrical filament|filament]]" wire or line) is a fictional wire, often used as a weapon, consisting of single strand of strongly bonded molecules, like [[carbon nanotube]]s. It has applications in cutting objects and severing adjacent molecules. A similar or identical concept may be called a '''microfilament wire''' or, as a weapon, a '''microfilament whip'''. |
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==In science== |
==In science== |
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| ⚫ | Organic molecular wires have been proposed for use in [[optoelectronics]].<ref>{{Citation|author = Laurens D. A. Siebbeles, Ferdinand C. Grozema|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=dTqZJKZ-r0EC|title = Charge and Exciton Transport through Molecular Wires|date = July 18, 2011|accessdate = January 27, 2014}}</ref> |
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[[File:Ag atomic wire.jpg|thumb|200px|The process of forming a monatomic silver wire.]] |
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| ⚫ | Organic molecular wires have been proposed for use in [[optoelectronics]].<ref>{{Citation|author = Laurens D. A. Siebbeles, Ferdinand C. Grozema|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=dTqZJKZ-r0EC|title = Charge and Exciton Transport through Molecular Wires|date = July 18, 2011|isbn = 9783527633098|accessdate = January 27, 2014}}</ref> |
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==In fiction== |
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Among the earliest descriptions of a super-strong filament are the film ''[[The Man in the White Suit]]'', in which a scientist develops a monofilament cloth fibre that will never wear out, and [[Theodore Sturgeon|Theodore Sturgeon's]] "The Incubi of Parallel X" (Planet Stories, Sep 1951),<ref>{{cite web |title=The Incubi of Parallel X |url=http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?56319 |website=The Internet Speculative Fiction Database |publisher=IFSDB |accessdate=24 May 2020}}</ref> where a "molecularly condensed fibre" is used as a zipline.<ref name="SFE1">{{cite web |title=Themes: Monomolecular Wire |url=http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/monomolecular_wire |website=SFE–The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction |publisher=Gollancz/SFE |accessdate=24 May 2020}}</ref> |
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Among the first references in fiction to a monofilament is in [[John Brunner (novelist)|John Brunner]]'s ''[[Stand on Zanzibar]]'' (1968), where hobby terrorists deploy this over-the-shelf General Technics product across roads to kill or injure the people passing there. According to Brunner, the monofilament will easily cut through glass, metal and flesh, but in any non-strained structure the molecules will immediately rebond. No harm is done if the cut object is not under mechanical stress. |
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An early example of a |
An early example of a material similar to monomolecular wire deliberately used as a weapon and cutting tool is "[[borazon]]-tungsten filament" in [[Randall Garrett|G. Randall Garrett]]'s "Thin Edge". (Analog, Dec 1963)<ref>{{cite web |title=Thin Edge |url=http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?55426 |website=Internet Science Fiction Database |publisher=IFSDB |accessdate=24 May 2020}}</ref> The main character uses a strand from an asteroid towing-cable to cut jail bars and to [[booby-trap]] the door of his room. Many later writers, including [[John Brunner (novelist)|John Brunner]], [[Frank Herbert]], [[William Gibson]] and [[George R. R. Martin]], have also used monomolecular or similar wire as a weapon or tool.<ref name="SFE1" /> |
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Shigawire is able to cut through almost any material cleanly, possessing edges that are incredibly sharp. It is a weapon of choice for assassins. |
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Perhaps the best-known proposed use of monomolecular wire ("hyperfilament") is in the cables of a [[space elevator]]. Although there were a few earlier scientific papers suggesting the concept, a fully realized space elevator was first described in 1979 in [[Arthur C. Clarke|Arthur Clarke's]] ''[[The Fountains of Paradise]]'' and [[Charles Sheffield|Charles Sheffield's]] ''[[The Web Between the Worlds]]''. The concept has been used in later fiction by [[Robert A. Heinlein]], [[Iain Banks|Iain M. Banks]], [[Larry Niven]] and others.<ref name="SFE1" /> |
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Monomolecular Wire is a plot element in the short story "[[Johnny Mnemonic]]" by [[William Gibson]]. The assassin following the protagonist has a diamond spindle of monomolecular wire (or filament) implanted in his thumb, the idea being that diamond is also made of a single molecule and thus hard enough to not be cut by a monomolecular wire. The top of the thumb, attached to the other side of the wire, was used as a weight and the wire could be used as a whip-like weapon or a garotte. |
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Monomolecular wire (in the form of thick 'tapes' of a "pseudo-one-dimensional modified diamond crystal") is used as the basic building material of the space elevator in Arthur C. Clarke's novel ''[[The Fountains of Paradise]]''. |
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Monomolecular wires are seen in the [[Star Wars expanded universe|''Star Wars'' expanded universe]], ''[[Cyber City Oedo 808]]'', ''[[Hyperion Cantos]]'', [[Robert J. Sawyer|Robert J. Sawyer's]] ''[[Illegal Alien (Sawyer novel)|Illegal Alien]]'', ''[[Battle Angel Alita]]'', ''[[Naruto]]'', ''[[Akame ga Kill]]'', ''[[Hellsing]]'', ''[[Trinity Blood]]'', ''[[My-Hime]]'', [[Vampire Knight]], [[Simon R. Green|Simon R. Green's]] ''[[Deathstalker]]'' series, [[Alastair Reynolds|Alastair Reynolds's]] ''[[Revelation Space]]'' universe, as well as the [[roleplaying game]]s ''[[Shadowrun]]'', ''[[One Piece]]'' as Doflamingo's string-string devil fruit and ''[[Cyberpunk 2020]]''. Monomolecular wires are also seen in [[Larry Niven]]'s "[[Known Space]]" universe as human-produced "Sinclair Molecule Chain". |
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In the [[One Piece]] manga, the character Donquixote Doflamingo ate the Ito Ito no Mi, a devil fruit that grants the user the ability to create and manipulate strings. He is capable of creating strings so thin that they cannot be seen, and he can use this ability to ensnare people and control them like a puppet. His strings are also incredibly strong, being able to cut through stone with ease. |
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Various [[Imperium of Man|Imperial]] and alien technologies in the ''[[Warhammer 40,000]]'' universe use monomolecular blades or wire offensively. Possibly the most notable example are [[Eldar (Warhammer 40,000)|Eldar]] Warp Spiders, whose [[Weapons, equipment and vehicles of the Craftworld Eldar (Warhammer 40,000)#Monofilament weapons|Deathspinner]] weaponry traps targets in a mesh of such filaments or the Dark Eldar Shredder weapon which shoots meshes of it. |
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The game [[Chaos Overlords]] featured a weapon 'monom rod' which used this technology. |
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Sion Eltnam Atlasia wields a monofilament whip called the Etherlite in [[Melty Blood]]. In the 2000 film ''[[XChange (film)|XChange]]'', the main character acquires an Urban survival Kit which includes a monomolecular wire. Monomolecular swords are used by some [[Kzin]] in [[Larry Niven]]'s ''[[Known Space]]'' series. |
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Monomolecular wire ranks 14th on [[IGN]]'s list of the "25 Coolest Sci-Fi weapons".<ref>http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/05/29/the-25-coolest-sci-fi-movie-weapons?page=3</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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[[Category:Fictional technology]] |
[[Category:Fictional technology]] |
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[[Category:Wire]] |
[[Category:Wire]] |
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[[Category:Allotropes of carbon]] |
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[[Category:Carbon nanotubes]] |
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[[Category:Transparent electrodes]] |
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[[Category:Refractory materials]] |
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Latest revision as of 10:28, 12 December 2023
Monomolecular wire is a type of wire consisting of a single strand of strongly bonded atoms or molecules, like carbon nanotubes.
In science
[edit]![[icon]](/enwiki/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (January 2018) |
Organic molecular wires have been proposed for use in optoelectronics.[1]
In fiction
[edit]Among the earliest descriptions of a super-strong filament are the film The Man in the White Suit, in which a scientist develops a monofilament cloth fibre that will never wear out, and Theodore Sturgeon's "The Incubi of Parallel X" (Planet Stories, Sep 1951),[2] where a "molecularly condensed fibre" is used as a zipline.[3]
An early example of a material similar to monomolecular wire deliberately used as a weapon and cutting tool is "borazon-tungsten filament" in G. Randall Garrett's "Thin Edge". (Analog, Dec 1963)[4] The main character uses a strand from an asteroid towing-cable to cut jail bars and to booby-trap the door of his room. Many later writers, including John Brunner, Frank Herbert, William Gibson and George R. R. Martin, have also used monomolecular or similar wire as a weapon or tool.[3]
Perhaps the best-known proposed use of monomolecular wire ("hyperfilament") is in the cables of a space elevator. Although there were a few earlier scientific papers suggesting the concept, a fully realized space elevator was first described in 1979 in Arthur Clarke's The Fountains of Paradise and Charles Sheffield's The Web Between the Worlds. The concept has been used in later fiction by Robert A. Heinlein, Iain M. Banks, Larry Niven and others.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ Laurens D. A. Siebbeles, Ferdinand C. Grozema (July 18, 2011), Charge and Exciton Transport through Molecular Wires, ISBN 9783527633098, retrieved January 27, 2014
- ^ "The Incubi of Parallel X". The Internet Speculative Fiction Database. IFSDB. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
- ^ a b c "Themes: Monomolecular Wire". SFE–The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. Gollancz/SFE. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
- ^ "Thin Edge". Internet Science Fiction Database. IFSDB. Retrieved 24 May 2020.