New 'super-paper' is stronger than cast iron

I find nanotechnology fascinating, partly because I'm a hard core science fiction fan and nanotechnology has featured in sci-fi for years.

Now the New Scientist reports that scientists have managed to turn cellulose molecules into a "nanopaper", 1/5000th the thickness of a human hair, that is stronger than cast iron and almost as strong as structural steel.

The secret to the nanopaper's performance is not only the strength of the undamaged cellulose fibres, but also they way they are arranged into networks. Although strongly bound together, they are still able to slip and slide over each other to dissipate strains and stresses.