This illustration shows the production of self-aligning carbon nanotubes. University of Nebraska-Lincoln researcher, Dr. Yongfeng Lu, discovered a method for producing precisely aligned nanotubes in a single step. The illustration was created for Dr. Lu to use in explaining his research to people outside his specialized field and proved useful at making the invisible visible.

Created using 3DS Max, it was tweaked and re-created multiple times in photoshop.

The illustration was entered in the National Science Foundation’s 2010 International Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge. It was selected as a finalist.

Image copyright University of Nebraska-Lincoln