What is a Carbon Nanotube?

What is a Carbon Nanotube?
Introduction to Carbon NanoTubes
Henk Bolink
• CNT is a tubular form of carbon with diameter as small as 1nm.
Length: few nm to microns.
• CNT is configurationally equivalent to a two dimensional graphene
sheet rolled into a tube.
• A CNT is characterized by its Chiral Vector: Ch = n â1 + m â2,
•   Chiral Angle with respect to the zigzag axis.
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Chiral Vector: Ch = n â1 + m â2
Armchair (n,m) = (5,5)
 = 30
Zig Zag (n,m) = (9,0)
 = 0
Chiral (n,m) = (10,5)
0 < < 30
Why do Carbon Nanotubes form?
Carbon
Types of CNTs
Graphite (Ambient conditions)
sp2 hybridization: planar
Diamond (High temperature and pressure)
sp3 hybridization: cubic
Nanotube/Fullerene (certain growth conditions)
sp2 + sp3 character: cylindrical
Finite size of graphene layer has dangling bonds.
These dangling bonds correspond to high energy states.
Eliminates dangling bonds
Nanotube formation
+
Increases Strain Energy
• Single Wall CNT (SWCNT)
• Multiple Wall CNT (MWCNT)
• Can be metallic or semi-conducting depending
on their geometry.
Total Energy
decreases
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Special properties of CNT
• Chemical reactivity
– Higher than a graphite sheet due to the curvature
• Electrical conductivity
– Semiconducting or metallic (independent of length)
• Optical activity
– Disappears with increasing length
• Mechanical strength
– Very large Youngs modulus in axial direction
– But still flexible
CNT Properties
CNT Properties (cont.)
CNT: Implications for electronics
• Carrier transport is 1-D.
1 D.
• All chemical bonds are satisfied  CNT Electronics not
bound to use SiO2 as an insulator.
• High mechanical and thermal stability and resistance to
electromigration  Current densities upto 109 A/cm2 can
be sustained.
• Diameter controlled by chemistry, not fabrication.
• Both active devices and interconnects can be made from
semiconducting and metallic nanotubes.
2
Nanotube Growth Methods
a) Arc Discharge
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c) Chemical Vapor Deposition:
b) Laser Ablation
Involve condensation of C-atoms generated from evaporation of solid
carbon sources. Temperature ~ 3000-4000K, close to melting point of
graphite.
Both produce high-quality SWNTs and MWNTs.
MWNT: 10’s of m long, very straight & have 5-30nm diameter.
SWNT: needs metal catalyst (Ni,Co etc.). Contain metal impurities !
Produced in form of ropes consisting of 10’s of individual nanotubes close
packed in hexagonal crystals.
Hydrocarbon + Fe/Co/Ni catalyst
750°C
CNT
550-
p
Steps:
• Dissociation of hydrocarbon.
• Dissolution and saturation
of C atoms in metal nanoparticle.
• Precipitation of Carbon.
Choice of catalyst material?
Base Growth Mode or Tip Growth
Mode?
• Metal support interactions
Controlled Growth by CVD
Methane + Porous Si + Fe pattern
CVD
Aligned MWNTs
a) SEM image of aligned nanotubes.
b) SEM image of side view of towers.
Self alignment due to Van der
Self-alignment
Waalsinteraction.
c) High magnification SEM
image showing aligned nanotubes.
d) Growth Process:
Base growth mode.
Growth Mechanisms
• Electronic and Mechanical Properties are closely related to the
atomic structure of the tube.
• Essential to understand what controls the size, number of shells,
helicity & structure during synthesis.
• Mechanism should account for the experimental facts: metal
catalyst necessary for SWNT growth, size dependent on the
composition of catalyst, growth temperature etc.
• MWNT Growth Mechanism:
- Open or close ended?
- Lip Lip Interaction Models
• SWNT Growth Mechanism:
- Catalytic Growth Mechanism
Open-Ended Growth of Multi Walled Nanotube
SWNT Growth Mechanism
• Role of Hexagons, Pentagons & Heptagons
Is uncatalyzed growth
possible?
• Simulations & Observations  No!
• Spontaneous closure at
experimental temperatures of
2000K to 3000K.
• Closure reduces reactivity.
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Applications of CNTs
Catalytic SWNT Growth Mechanism
• Energy storage
•
– Hydrogen storage
– Lithium intercalation
– Electrochemical supercapacitors
p
p
Transition metal surface decorated
fullerene nucleates SWNT growth
around periphery.
• Molecular electronics
•
Catalyst atom chemisorbed onto
the open edge. Catalyst keeps the
tube open by scooting around the
open edge, ensuring and pentagons
and heptagons do not form.
– Field emitting devices (flat panel displays, electron guns for emicroscopes, etc)
– Transistors
• Nanoprobes and sensors
– STM and AFM
• Composite materials
• Templates
Conclusion
• Their phenomenal mechanical properties, and unique
electronic properties make them both interesting
as well as potentially useful in future technologies.
• Significant improvement over current state of electronics
can be achieved if controllable growth is achieved.
• Growth conditions play a significant role in deciding the
electronic and mechanical properties of CNTs.
• Growth Mechanisms yet to be fully established.
References
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Topics in Applied Physics
Carbon Nanotubes: Synthesis, Structure, Properties and Applications
M S Dresselhaus,
M.S.
Dresselhaus G
G. Dresselhaus,
Dresselhaus Ph.
Ph Avouris
Carbon Nanotube Electronics
PHAEDON AVOURIS, MEMBER, IEEE, JOERG APPENZELLER, RICHARD MARTEL, AND
SHALOM J. WIND, SENIOR MEMBER, IEEE
PROCEEDINGS OF THE IEEE, VOL. 91, NO. 11, NOVEMBER 2003
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Carbon Nanotubes: Single molecule wires
Sarah Burke, Sean Collins, David Montiel, Mikhail Sergeev
http://www.ipt.arc.nasa.gov
Carbon Nanotubes: Introduction to Nanotechnology 2003, Mads Brandbyge.
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