Nanotube paint promises to block cellular phone transmission

NaturalNano, a Rochester New York-based company, has come up with paint that apparently can block cellular phone transmissions. The paint, which contains copper suspended inside of carbon nanotubes, can be applied like normal paint and will insulate places like movie theatres and churches from ringing mobile phones. In addition, electric current can be applied to the paint to enable signals to pass through during certain time frames.

Unlike other nanotubes, the tubes used by NaturalNano are naturally occurring and taken from a mine in Juab County, Utah. The tubes contain aluminum, silicon, hydrogen and oxygen and are formed by surface weathering of certain types of clay. NaturalNano recently secured a contract to mine 500 tons of nanotubes from Dragon Mines, which is the company that runs the mine in Utah.

Radio waves traditionally have been blocked with either copper or brass wire mesh or heavy lead-based paint. However these materials are difficult and expensive to install for a large area. NaturalNano claims that its new paint can be sprayed on and promises to be easy to apply.