Carbon nanotube yarns

A CNT yarn is a collection of interlocked CNTs which form a long and continuous fiber of macroscopic scale. CNT yarns of more than a kilometer are now available so that they have been drawing ever-growing attention from the scientific community. In principle, CNT yarns can inherit the excellent electrical, mechanical and chemical properties of CNTs provided they are produced perfectly. In this perspective review, the production methods of CNT yarns are extensively investigated and reported in detail. Although CNT yarns have a great potential to revolutionize our future, it can only be possible by improving their essential material properties such as tensile strength and edectrical conductivity.     

Morphology-controlled synthesis of CuO nano- and microparticles using microwave irradiation

Microwave irradiation was used to obtain a variety of CuO crystal morphologies, including leaf-like, dandelion-like, and hollow structures. The morphology of the CuO crystals was controlled by varying the alkali source (NaOH, hexamethylenetetramine, ammonia, or urea) and heating at 95 °C for 1 hr. The X-ray diffraction patterns of as-prepared CuO crystals were consistent with high quality crystals with a monoclinic crystal structure. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and tunneling electron microscopy (TEM) images of CuO crystals revealed that the leaf-like CuO crystals had an average length of 950 nm and width of 450 nm, the small leaf-like CuO crystals had an average length of 450 nm and width of 200 nm, the dandelion-like CuO structures had an average diameter of 2 m, and the hollow CuO structures had an average diameter 2 m. Possible mechanisms for structure formation during the shape-selective CuO synthesis were proposed based on these results.     

Evaluation of the pore size distribution in mercury porosimetry using computer simulations of porous media

The pore size distribution calculated using the Washburn equation was evaluated. The pore-sphere network was selected as a model for porous media since this model could qualitatively describe hysteresis and retention phenomena. 3-Dimensional lattices of square configuration were considered with normal, skewed and bimodal pore size distributions. The calculated pore size distribution was accurate up to the average size pores, but significantly different for larger pores. The fraction of average size pores was always exaggerated. Pore connectivity had larger influence on the pore size distribution than the lattice structures.