Carbon nanotube spiderwebs in concrete in Hawaii?

Sean Hao of the Honolulu Advertiser has an article that begins:

Honolulu-based Oceanit Laboratories Inc. is looking to patent a nanotechnology concrete mix that creates stronger material for use in buildings, bridges and roads.

The article notes:



Oceanit has applied for a $500,000 federal research and development grant to develop the technology in coordination with state and county transportation officials. Initially, the nanoconcrete would be tested for durability and strength. Ultimately Oceanit hopes the technology will revolutionize the way the structural integrity of concrete is monitored, though that application could take years to develop.

"The carbon nanotube mixture we're patenting acts like a spider web within the concrete," said Oceanit spokesman Ian Kitajima. "Stresses in the concrete material are sensed by this internal web. Small pulses of electricity are sent through this nano-web within the concrete. Changes in the web reflect changes in a bridge's structure, which affects the return signal that could be used to determine the health of a building."

See previous IPBiz posts, including:

http://ipbiz.blogspot.com/2007/07/on-carbon-nanotube-patent-landscape.html

http://ipbiz.blogspot.com/2005/08/article-on-carbon-nanotubes.html