常時英心:言葉の森から 1.0

約10年間,はてなダイアリーで英語表現の落穂拾いを行ってきました。現在はAmeba Blogに2.0を開設し,継続中です。こちらはしばらくアーカイブとして維持します。

dissipation

新たな素材を活用する日が来るかもしれません。20世紀後半に炭素繊維でできたカーボンがスポーツ競技の道具などに用いられてきました。軽くて丈夫であるカーボンは軽くて丈夫,そして低いエネルギーの"dissipation"という性質を備えております。この単語を,『Wisdom英和辞典第三版(三省堂)』で調べると「(雲・霧・煙・熱などの)消失,消失」などという意味がありました。この素材の次世代を担うと期待されているものは竹であるそうです。まったく意外なものでした。(Ume)

Is bamboo the next carbon fibre?

Poor carbon fibre. What began as a late-20th Century wonder material for military aircraft was then nobly adopted by the motorsport world for strength, low weight and energy dissipation. Yet now, well into its career as a mission-critical material, it has also become window dressing in the aftermarket. Faux carbon fibre key fobs, shift knobs and dash appliques for '60s muscle cars are all generating real sales and real revenue.

Real carbon fibre, mind, is still just as wondrous as it was in the last century, even if a bit more commonplace in road cars. But it's still very expensive to make in large pieces and quantities, it requires copious energy to manufacture, can be very brittle if made poorly, is not recyclable and can impose a detrimental impact of the environment when being produced. In other words, it is ripe for disruption. Technology stands still for no one. But could nature provide carbon fibre's replacement?

http://www.bbc.com/autos/story/20140523-car-industrys-miracle-material