 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Back to Introduction page |
|
| Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) |
|
|
|
|
Red links are outside links! |
|
|
|
|
| Single walled carbon nonatubes (SWCNs) are essentially just sheets of graphite rolled into tubes. For such a simple concept they have been shown to have astounding properties; they can be used as semiconductors to eventually make possible the production of super-fast computers, they can be sleeved together to form multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNs) which can be used to create axles for motors less than 1/100th the size of the diameter of a human hair, they can even be strung together to form ropes that are many times lighter, smaller, and many, many times stronger than any other comparable substance. |
|
|
| Because they can withstand high temperatures (up to 1,000 o C) and have thermal conductive properties similar to diamond (very low specific heat) SWCNs are ideal for use in computers, also because of their size ( ~ 1-3nm) they are extremely efficient when used as semiconductors. |
|
|
| According to "Electronics and optoelectronics with carbon nanotubes, New discoveries brighten the outlook for innovative technologies by Phaedon Avouris and Joerg Appenzeller" |
|
|
| "Electrons and holes can be injected from opposite ends of a carbon nanotube to create a single-molecule, electrically controlled light source (a). The light emission can be translated between the two metal electrodes (b) by varying the gate voltage because this is an undoped system. The same device can function as a switch, a light emitter, or a light detector." Below left is picture of what is described above. |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Above is a representation of what a Multi Walled Carbon Nanotube (MWCN) could look like (except for the color) |
|
|
|
| This is just one of the many eventual applications for carbon nanotubes. |
|
|
|
|
| Diagram image and information from "Electronics and optoelectronics with carbon nanotubes, New discoveries brighten the outlook for innovative technologies by PhaedonAvouris and Joerg Appenzeller" http://www.tipmagazine.com/tip/INPHFA/vol-10/iss-3/p18.html |
|
|
| MWCN Image from Google images www.labs.nec.co.jp/Eng/Topics/data/r020129/ |
|
|
| Additional information from a lecture that I attended given at the Boston Museum of Science on October 21, 2004. |
|