A facile method to fabricate silica-coated carbon nanotubes and silica nanotubes from carbon nanotubes templates

Silica-coated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have been prepared by the sol–gel polymerization of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) in the presence of the acid-oxidized MWCNTs at room temperature, followed by oxidizing the MWCNTs templates at high temperature in air to produce hollow silica nanotubes. The thickness and architectures of silica shell were well controlled by rationally adjusting the concentration of TEOS, and by adding cationic surfactant as a structure-directing agent. These results also give a clear answer to prove the fact that the structures of spherical silica particles can be fully “copied” to the coating shell and the wall of silica nanotubes when prepared by the same method as the synthesis of silica particles in the presence of templates.     

碳纳米管"种子"上生长碳纳米管和氮掺杂碳纳米管

以碳纳米管(CNTs)作"种子",液体石蜡和三聚氰胺分别作碳源和碳/氮源,利用爆炸辅助化学气相沉积法在CNTs"种子"上合成出新的CNTs和氮掺杂碳纳米管(CNx).透射电镜(TEM)和电子能量损失谱(EELS)测试表明:新合成的CNTs具有空心管状结构,而CNx呈竹节状且氮的原子分数高达17.3%.CNTs"种子"的作用归因于其端部的纳米级弯曲和开放性边缘具有吸附并外延Cn/CN物种的功能.     

Aligned conical carbon nanotubes

Aligned conical carbon nanotubes (CCNTs) have been synthesized on catalyst-coated Si (100) substrates by a D.C. plasma-assisted hot filament chemical vapor deposition process. The same technique under slightly different deposition conditions has been used to grow aligned conventional carbon nanotubes. The conical shape is due to secondary graphitic growth on the main nanotube. This growth results in the formation of a series of inverted lampshade-type structures stacked over each other, which gives the CNT the appearance of a cone. The CCNT structures are typically 2 m at the base with an inner diameter of 100 nm and 2000 nm long. Patterned growth, e.g., arrays of 6 m × 6 m square, has been achieved. Field emission from CCNTs for use in flat panel displays is also reported.     

Cutting single-walled carbon nanotubes

A two-step process is utilized for cutting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). The first step requires the breakage of carbon-carbon bonds in the lattice while the second step is aimed at etching at these damage sites to create short, cut nanotubes. To achieve monodisperse lengths from any cutting strategy requires control of both steps. Room-temperature piranha and ammonium persulfate solutions have shown the ability to exploit the damage sites and etch SWNTs in a controlled manner. Despite the aggressive nature of these oxidizing solutions, the etch rate for SWNTs is relatively slow and almost no new sidewall damage is introduced. Carbon-carbon bond breakage can be introduced through fluorination to ～C(2)F, and subsequent etching using piranha solutions has been shown to be very effective in cutting nanotubes. The final average length of the nanotubes is approximately?100?nm with carbon yields as high as 70-80%.     

Nanomechanics of carbon nanotubes

Some of the most important potential applications of carbon nanotubes are related to their mechanical properties. Stiff sp2 bonds result in a Young's modulus close to that of diamond, while the relatively weak van der Waals interaction between the graphitic shells acts as a form of lubrication. Previous characterization of the mechanical properties of nanotubes includes a rich variety of experiments involving mechanical deformation of nanotubes using scanning probe microscopes. These results have led to promising prototypes of nanoelectromechanical devices such as high-performance nanomotors, switches and oscillators based on carbon nanotubes.     

Diffraction from carbon nanotubes

Full symmetry based analysis enables direct insight into various features of the diffraction patterns of carbon nanotubes. In particular, determination of the chiral indices of nanotubes may be performed.     

Nanopumping using carbon nanotubes

A new "nanopumping" effect consisting of the activation of an axial gas flow inside a carbon nanotube by producing Rayleigh traveling waves on the nanotube surface is predicted. The driving force for the new effect is the friction between the gas particles and the nanotube walls. A molecular dynamics simulation of the new effect was carried out showing macroscopic flows of atomic and molecular hydrogen and helium gases in a carbon nanotube.     

Ultralong single-wall carbon nanotubes

Since the discovery of carbon nanotubes in 1991 by Iijima, there has been great interest in creating long, continuous nanotubes for applications where their properties coupled with extended lengths will enable new technology developments. For example, ultralong nanotubes can be spun into fibres that are more than an order of magnitude stronger than any current structural material, allowing revolutionary advances in lightweight, high-strength applications. Long metallic nanotubes will enable new types of micro-electromechanical systems such as micro-electric motors, and can also act as a nanoconducting cable for wiring micro-electronic devices. Here we report the synthesis of 4-cm-long individual single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) at a high growth rate of 11 microm s(-1) by catalytic chemical vapour deposition. Our results suggest the possibility of growing SWNTs continuously without any apparent length limitation.     

Synthesis of carbon nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes play a fundamental role in the rapidly developing field of nanoscience and nanotechnology because of their unique properties and high potential for applications. In this article, the different synthesis methods of carbon nanotubes (both multi-walled and single-walled) are reviewed. From the industrial point of view, the chemical vapor deposition method has shown advantages over laser vaporization and electric arc discharge methods. This article also presents recent work in the controlled synthesis of carbon nanotubes with ordered architectures. Special carbon nanotube configurations, such as nanocoils, nanohorns, bamboo-shaped and carbon cylinder made up from carbon nanotubes are also discussed.     

Chemically functionalized carbon nanotubes

Since their discovery, carbon nanotubes have attracted the attention of many a scientist around the world. This extraordinary interest stems from their outstanding structural, mechanical, and electronic properties. In fact, apart from being the best and most easily available one-dimensional (1D) model system, carbon nanotubes show strong application potential in electronics, scanning probe microscopy, chemical and biological sensing, reinforced composite materials, and in many more areas. While some of the proposed applications remain still a far-off dream, others are close to technical realization. Recent advances in the development of reliable methods for the chemical functionalization of the nanotubes provide an additional impetus towards extending the scope of their application spectrum. In particular, covalent modification schemes allow persistent alteration of the electronic properties of the tubes, as well as to chemically tailor their surface properties, whereby new functions can be implemented that cannot otherwise be acquired by pristine nanotubes.     

Ferroelectric ordering in ice nanotubes confined in carbon nanotubes

The ice nanotubes with odd number of side faces formed inside carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are found to exhibit spontaneous electric polarizations along their tube axes by means of molecular dynamics simulations. The physical mechanism underlying the quasi-one-dimensional (Q1D) ferroelectricity is an interplay between the Q1D geometrical confinement of CNTs and the distinct orientational ordering of the hydrogen bonds dictated by the "ice rule". This mechanism is fundamentally different from the conventional one seen in three-dimensional ferroelectric (FE) materials or in two-dimensional FE ice films. In addition, it is found that vacancies in the ice nanotubes can induce a net polarization normal to the tube axis.     

Plumbing Hardware Failure Analyses

The hardware used for plumbing assemblies play an important role in modern home, business, and industrial systems. Engineered plumbing hardware made from metals allow for an extensive network of plumbing assemblies accommodating complex designs which facilitate product and installation effectiveness, in addition to maintaining cost efficiency. Examples of plumbing hardware include fittings, valves, drains, fixtures, pipes, and so on. These materials are often subjected to a range of environments dependent on local water chemistry as well as varying service environments and installation techniques. Given the vast number of components in use failures do occur, often as a result of extreme service conditions or inappropriate installation techniques. Understanding the failure mechanisms associated with plumbing hardware and their assemblies is an important step in material and design optimization for future development. In view of that, this paper provides a range of plumbing component failure case studies for potable and non-potable water systems.     

An attempt to prepare carbon nanotubes by carbonizing polyphosphazene nanotubes with high carbon content

Polyphosphazene nanotubes with about 20 nm in inner diameter and 100-200 nm in outer diameter were fabricated easily and then carbonized at 800 °C in a nitrogen atmosphere. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscope results showed that the bulk morphology of polyphosphazene nanotubes was retained after carbonization. The carbon content of the carbonized samples reached 93.28%. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectrum showed that the carbonized samples had low graphitization state. The present method can be used for a mass production of carbon nanotubes.     

Hydrogen storage in carbon nanotubes

The article gives a comprehensive overview of hydrogen storage in carbon nanostructures, including experimental results and theoretical calculations. Soon after the discovery of carbon nanotubes in 1991, different research groups succeeded in filling carbon nanotubes with some elements, and, therefore, the question arose of filling carbon nanotubes with hydrogen by possibly using new effects such as nano-capillarity. Subsequently, very promising experiments claiming high hydrogen storage capacities in different carbon nanostructures initiated enormous research activity. Hydrogen storage capacities have been reported that exceed the benchmark for automotive application of 6.5 wt% set by the U.S. Department of Energy. However, the experimental data obtained with different methods for various carbon nanostructures show an extreme scatter. Classical calculations based on physisorption of hydrogen molecules could not explain the high storage capacities measured at ambient temperature, and, assuming chemisorption of hydrogen atoms, hydrogen release requires temperatures too high for technical applications. Up to now, only a few calculations and experiments indicate the possibility of an intermediate binding energy. Recently, serious doubt has arisen in relation to several key experiments, causing considerable controversy. Furthermore, high hydrogen storage capacities measured for carbon nanofibers did not survive cross-checking in different laboratories. Therefore, in light of today's knowledge, it is becoming less likely that at moderate pressures around room temperature carbon nanostructures can store the amount of hydrogen required for automotive applications.     

Biomolecular applications of carbon nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes are a significant addition to the emerging field of nanotube biotechnology. The biocompatibility, high structural integrity, and unique electronic and mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes complement or surpass those of self-assembled lipid nanotubes, peptide nanotubes, and template-synthesised nanotubes (metals, polymers, semiconductors, and carbons). Carbon nanotubes are candidates for a range of biomolecular applications that is likely to widen considerably in the future.     

CVD synthesis of carbon nanotubes

Abstracts are not published in this journal This revised version was published online in November 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

碳纳米管的剪切研究

将碳纳米管放入浓硫酸和浓硝酸(3∶1)的混合溶液中,通过长时间超声处理剪切碳纳米管,TEM观测确认,碳纳米管被剪断,长度由1μm以上减小到300nm以下。     

Nitrogen doping in carbon nanotubes

Nitrogen doping of single and multi-walled carbon nanotubes is of great interest both fundamentally, to explore the effect of dopants on quasi-1D electrical conductors, and for applications such as field emission tips, lithium storage, composites and nanoelectronic devices. We present an extensive review of the current state of the art in nitrogen doping of carbon nanotubes, including synthesis techniques, and comparison with nitrogen doped carbon thin films and azofullerenes. Nitrogen doping significantly alters nanotube morphology, leading to compartmentalised 'bamboo' nanotube structures. We review spectroscopic studies of nitrogen dopants using techniques such as X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy and Raman studies, and associated theoretical models. We discuss the role of nanotube curvature and chirality (notably whether the nanotubes are metallic or semiconducting), and the effect of doping on nanotube surface chemistry. Finally we review the effect of nitrogen on the transport properties of carbon nanotubes, notably its ability to induce negative differential resistance in semiconducting tubes.