3D Printing Self Replication and Super Materials

The current 3d printers make use of various plastic and polymer compounds, and some metals, ceramics, and glass, and other materials. As the technology improves we should expect to see parts made from stronger metals and plastics. But this technology of 3d printing is paralleling the development of molecular assembly technologies, like atomic scale deposition of atoms and molecules, and will dovetail/join together at some point.

Once additive manufacturing gets to the point where the precision scale is at the molecular and crystal level, we will see things such as 3d printed parts with the strength of forged steel or greater.

Then we get into materials such as carbon composites and diamondoids and advanced ceramics.

Diamondoid is a class of strong, lightweight, hard materials with the basic structure of diamond. They include standard diamond (pure tetrahedral carbon crystal), fullerenes, graphene, hexagonal diamond, stiff hydrocarbons, hydrogen-carbon stiff crystalline polymers, and, non-carbon materials such as quartz, boron-nitride, silicon-carbide, adamantane, carbon-nitride, and related materials. Unlike naturally-occuring diamond which is hard but brittle, synthetic diamondoid is tough and flexible as well as hard and strong. It can be elastic and flexible, as well.



In its natural state, diamond is transparent, or, has color shades based on various molecules and atoms that are integrated into its molecular structure. Diamondoid can be given any shade or pattern of color, through the use of surface engineering and adding other atoms to the molecular matrix. Natural diamondoids are often found in deposits of petroleum and other hydrocarbons, and, fullerenes are formed in the presence of any carbon flame that burns and produces soot. Fullerene is basically a soccer-ball shaped pentagon and hexagon type of carbon molecule, and also can be formed into perfect molecular nanotube fibers which are like rolled up sheets of graphite/graphene. These are a hundred times stronger than steel and a fraction of the weight, and transmit electricity better than copper.



Diamondoid can be used in place of metal, stone, wood, plastic, or any rigid material. Diamondoid can also be used to simulate nearly any other material, once molecular-level control is available, including soft materials. Eventually we can build "smart matter" using diamondoid and other materials, such as artificial muscles made of fullerene nanotubes and organic polymers that are called electro active polymers. When an electric current is run through them they can expand and contract, mimicking natural muscle tissue, but, faster and stronger. Diamondoid molecular machines will allow such things as self-replicating, self-repairing, reactive materials that can change shape in their enviroment under computer and external control.

Some products that would benefit:



Body and Vehicle Armor: Diamondoid armor would be super-strong, tough, and lightweight. Layered diamondoid and laminated fullerene/diamond composite would be impervious to nearly any damage except that which can break the strong chemical bonds that hold it together. Smart systems such as actuators, struts, nodes, and circuits would allow active smart armor that can go from soft and flexible to hard and stiff instantly.

One of the peaks of this would be INCA Technology: Inter Nodal Connector Architecture.

http://www.google.com/patents/US6869246

The INCA stands for Inter-Nodal-Connector-Architecture and it was patented by Steve Bridgers. It is a smart material system that allows much of what is discussed here to be made reality.


Internodal connector architecture system
US 6869246 B2
Abstract
A universally compliant and restorative internodal connector architecture system wherein a plurality of nodal members are interconnected by a spring and strut assembly in a manner that permits manual or actuated relocation of the nodal spacial definition using standard modules.


Cutlery and Tools:

The first human-made tools were knives and cutting instruments made from chipped stone such as flint, obsidian, chert, quartz, and other materials. Then came metals such as copper and bronze, and then iron and steel. The industrial age was the steel age, and saw the refining of a wide range of steel alloys, and now we can produce advanced alloy steels that can be tailored for virtually any need. Excellent knife companies exist which manufacture strong, sharp, and durable knives. Once we can build knives from diamondoid, we can make knives (And other tools) that are stronger than steel, light as plastic, never rust, and are tough and elastic, as well.

We can also make knives and tools from nanostructured diamondoid ceramics and even combine metal and steel with diamondoid.



Once we add molecular motor systems and diamondoid gear-systems, we can make knives and tools that expand and contract like muscle, and which can telescope from the size of a ball point pen to the size of a sword....and have the cutting power of many chainsaws!



We could also construct a "Universal Tool" which is a mass of diamondoid that is full of actuators and molecular mechanisms that allow it to change shape to form any tool one needs, from a knife and a hammer to a spoon and a saw.



Disaster-Proof Tents, Shelters, Houses, and More:



We could use the principles outlined in the INCA technology as mentioned above, (www.incanautchallenge.com) to build collapsible tents and disaster shelters and all manner of buildings from diamondoid that are impervious to earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, and tsunamis. These can pop open quickly for fast deployment.



The list goes on, from smart fabrics and flying cars, to self-repairing self-sharpening super swords, and everything in between, can be constructed from diamondoid. Self-Cleaning Diamondoid Plates and Utensils would become as cheap and common as plastic flatware and stainless steel flatware is today.