Researchers have discovered a way to convert nanotubes into superconductors by placing hydrogen on the exterior, leading to dense concentrations of charge-carrying electrons.

Carbon nanotubes are considered to be building blocks of future electronic and mechanical devices.
References:

NIST press release: “Can Nanotubes Be Engineered to Superconduct?”

“Effects of hydrogen adsorption on single-wall carbon nanotubes: Metallic hydrogen decoration,” by O. Gulseren, T. Yildirim, and S. Ciraci, was published in Physical Review B, Vol. 66, Article121401. A copy of the paper, in Adobe Acrobat PDF format, is available from Mark Bello at [email protected].

More information on Nanotube Research Team’s research