Carbon%20Nanotubes

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Carbon Nanotubes

• Zach Blankenship, Jeff Harwell, Tony Mondejar

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Today's Presentation

• Introduction
• What is a Nanotube
• History of Nanotube Research
• Nanotube Structure and Properties
• Applications of Nanotubes
• Conclusion

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Introduction

• Why are we interested in Nanotube development?
• What is a Nanotube?
• History of the Nanotube?
• How was it discovered(who, where and when)?
• What are different kinds of Nanotubes?
• What are some properties of a Nanotube?
• What is Nanotechnology?
• Applications of Nanotechnology?

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Chronological Milestones

• 1985 Researchers discover soccer ball shaped
  molecule created by linking together 60 or more
  carbon atoms. It was later named after R.
  Buckmister Fuller (buckyballs).
• 1991 Observation and identification of nanotubes
  in fullerene soot by Sumio Iijima.
• 1992 Predictions of metallic/insulating
  properties.
• 1993 Synthesis of single-walled nanotubes.

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Chronological Milestones

• 1996 Measurement of individual multiwalled
  tubes.
• 1996 Individual nanotube used as an AFM tip.
• 1996 Production of bulk, monodisperse 1.4 nm
  SWNTs.
• 1997 Observation of single-electron effects in
  individual SWNTs and bundles.

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Single Walled Nanotube
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Buckyballs inside a SWNT
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Properties of Fullerene Nanotubes

• Pure form of Carbon
• Structure
• Conductivity
• Tensile Strength
• Elasticity

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Carbon Nanotubes
Forms of Carbon mmptdpublic.jsc.nasa.gov/jscnano/
(Photo courtesy of Dan Colbert, Rice University)
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Schematic of Nanotube Structure
d2((n2 m2 nm)1/2)0.0783 http//www.pa.msu.edu
/adamsth3/nanotube/properties.html
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Fundamental Gap
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MWNT Conductance vs. Depth
(Go being the conductance quantum 1/13
kohm). http//www.gtri.gatech.edu/res-news/BALANCE
.html
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Tensile Strength of Engineering MaterialsGpa,
log scale
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Amazingly Flexible Tubes
Carbon Nanotubes and Related Structures, Harris,
p197
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The "force unravels the tube as a knitter would
unravel the sleeve of a sweater." (Yakobson
Smalley, 1997)
(Yakobson Smalley, 1997)
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The table below gives a comparison of the
magnitude of elastic modulus between substances.
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The top picture shows a bent nanotube.  The
bottom picture shows the same nanotube after
release from the matrix. 
From Ebbesen (ed.), Carbon Nanotubes
Preparation and Properties, CRC Press, Boca Raton
(1997).
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Current State of the Research

• A Few Working Applications
• Polymer Reinforcement
• Electron Guns
• Scanning Probe Microscope Tips
• A Lot of Hype and Theoretical Work
• Electronic Circuit Elements
• Artificial Nanostructures

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Polymer Reinforcement
Carbon Nanotubes and Related Structures, Harris,
p206
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Electron Guns

• Nanoscale pointed conductors used as electron
  field emitters
• Sharp Nanotube Points Make Them Ideal as Electron
  Guns
• One application of Electron Guns is in Field
  Emission Displays
• Electrons Emitted from Source Exciting a Phosphor

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Nanotube in a Field Emission Display
Carbon Nanotubes and Related Structures, Harris,
p150
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Scanning Probe Microscope Tips

• Large, Blunt Conventional Tip Limit Microscope
  Resolution
• Sharp Point of Nanotube Provides for High
  Resolution Imaging
• Used as Tips for Atomic Force Microscopy
• Electrical Conductivity Allows for Use In
  Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

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A New Kind of Pencil
Carbon Nanotubes and Related Structures, Harris,
p 209
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Nanotubes as Circuit Elements

• Nanotubes Conductivity is Determined by Chirality
  and Environment
• Semiconducting
• Conducting
• Insulating

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Testing A Nanotube For Electrical Properties
Carbon Nanotubes and Related Structures, Harris,
p 128
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Nanotube Field Effect Transistor

• Semiconducting SWNT Placed Between Two Electrodes
• Appling Voltage To Gate Electrode Changes SWNT
  from Conducting the Insulating

Carbon Nanotubes and Related Structures, Harris,
p133
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Nanostructures
Looks Cool. Can We Build It?
Carbon Nanotubes and Related Structures, Harris,
p 268
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In Conclusion

• Nanoscale Tubes Made From Carbon Hexagons
• Exceptional Physical Properties
• Semiconducting, Conducting or Insulating
• High Strength
• Field of Research is Only 9 Years Old
• Best and Most Innovative is Yet to Come