DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND NANOTECHNOLOGY

SRM INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

21PYB102J –Semiconductor Physics

Unit-V Lecture-53

Carbon Nano Tubes-Properties, Synthesis and Applications

21PYB102J Unit-V Lecture-53

 Carbon Nanotubes
.
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are allotropes of carbon. These
cylindrical carbon molecules have interesting properties that make
them potentially useful in many applications in nanotechnology,
electronics, optics and other fields of materials science, as well as
potential uses in architectural fields. They exhibit extraordinary
strength and unique electrical properties, and are efficient conductors
of heat. Their final usage, however, may be limited by their potential
toxicity.

21PYB102J Unit-V Lecture-53

 What Are Carbon Nanotubes
CNT can be described as a sheet of
graphite rolled into a cylinder
Constructed from hexagonal rings of
carbon
Can have one layer or multiple layers
Can have caps at the ends making
them look like pills

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Discovery

They were discovered in 1991 by

the Japanese electron
microscopist Sumio Iijima who
was studying the material
deposited on the cathode during
the arc-evaporation synthesis of
fullerenes. He found that the
central core of the cathodic
deposit contained a variety of
closed graphitic structures
including nanoparticles and
nanotubes, of a type which had
never previously been observed

21PYB102J Unit-V Lecture-53

Carbon Nanotubes are built up using graphite sheet, which is the most stable form of
crystalline carbon.
A carbon Nanotube is obtained by rolling up a plain graphite sheet into a tubular
shape.

Roll up

Graphite Sheet Carbon Nano Tube

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 Carbon Nanotube can be classified into Two type
1. Single wall carbon Nanotube (SWNT)
2. Multiwall Carbon Nanotube (MWNT)

Single-wall carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs) can be considered to be formed by the rolling

of a single layer of graphite into a seamless cylinder.

A Multiwall carbon Nanotube (MWCNT) can similarly be considered to be a coaxial

assembly of cylinders of SWCNTs, one within another.

The separation between tubes is about equal to that between the layers in natural graphite.
Hence, Nanotubes are one-dimensional objects.

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• MWNT
– Consist of 2 or more layers of carbon
– Tend to form unordered clumps

• SWNT
– Consist of just one layer of carbon
– Greater tendency to align into ordered
bundles Multi wall CNT
– Used to test theory of nanotube
properties

Single wall CNT

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NANOTUBE GEOMETRY:
There are three unique geometries of carbon nanotubes. The three
different
geometries are also referred to as flavors. The three flavors are
armchair, zig-zag, and chiral [e.g. zig-zag (n, 0); armchair (n, n); and
chiral (n, m)]. These flavors can be
classified by how the carbon sheet is wrapped into a tube

21PYB102J Unit-V Lecture-53

If the Chiral vector passes through mid point of atomic bonding, it called
"zig-zag line” Nanotube
If the Chiral vector passes through the atoms of six fold axis, it armchair
line” Nanotube
If the Chiral vector line not along a mirror line then it is called chiral
Nanotube

The Chiral angle and Chiral vector(Ch) of zigzag Nanotubes is 0º and

(n,0)
The Chiral angle is 30º and Chiral vector (Ch) is (n,n) for armchair
Nanotubes
The Chiral angle is 0 ≤ θ ≤ 30°
The Chiral vector n≠m for Chiral Nanotube

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Graphene sheet

21PYB102J Unit-V Lecture-53 11

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CNT exhibits extraordinary mechanical properties:

The Young's modulus is over 1 Tera Pascal. It is stiff as diamond.

The estimated tensile strength is 200 GPa. These properties are ideal for
reinforced composites, Nano electromechanical systems (NEMS)

The dimensions of CNT are variable (down to 0.4 nm in diameter)

Apart from remarkable tensile strength, CNT nanotubes exhibit varying
electrical properties (depending on the way the graphite structure spirals
around the tube, and other factors, such as doping), and can be
superconducting, insulating, semiconducting or conducting (metallic)

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 CNT Nanotubes can be either electrically conductive or semi conductive,
depending on their helicity ( shape), leading to nanoscale wires and
electrical components.
These one-dimensional CNT fibers exhibit
Electrical conductivity as high as copper,
Thermal conductivity as high as diamond,
Strength 100 times greater than steel at one sixth the weight, and
high strain to failure
Chemical reactivity.
The chemical reactivity of a CNT is very high as compared with a graphene
sheet because of its curved surface.
A Nanotube with smaller diameter results in increased reactivity.

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 Synthesis of CNTs- Arc Discharge Method

A direct current creates a high temperature discharge between two

electrodes (carbon is vapourized)
Atmosphere is composed of inert gas at a low pressure
Originally used to make C60 fullerenes
Cobalt is a popular catalyst
Typical yield is 30-90%

http://lnnme.epfl.ch/page80437.html

21PYB102J Unit-V Lecture-53

Arc Discharge Method

Advantages

Simple procedure
High quality product
Inexpensive

Disadvantages

Requires further purification

Tubes tend to be short with
random sizes

21PYB102J Unit-V Lecture-53

Laser Ablation Method

Discovered in 1995 at Rice

University
Vaporizes graphite at 1200 ⁰C
Helium or argon gas
A hot vapor plume forms and
expands and cools rapidly
Carbon molecules condense to form
large clusters
Similar to arc discharge
Yield of up to 70%

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Types of Laser Ablation
Pulsed Continuous
◦ Much higher light ◦ Much lower light intensity
intensity (100 kW/cm2) (12 kW/cm2)

21PYB102J Unit-V Lecture-53

Ultra Fast-pulsed Laser Ablation

21PYB102J Unit-V Lecture-53

Laser Ablation

Advantages

Good diameter control

Few defects
Pure product

Disadvantages
Expensive because of lasers
and high powered
equipment

21PYB102J Unit-V Lecture-53

Chemical Vapor Deposition
Carbon is in the gas phase
Energy source transfers energy
to carbon molecule
Common Carbon Gases
◦ Methane
◦ Carbon monoxide
◦ Acetylene

21PYB102J Unit-V Lecture-53

21PYB102J Unit-V Lecture-53
Applications of carbon
Nanotubes

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 Carbon Nanotube can be used as a conducting channel in Field emission
Transistor
CNT conducting channel result the device with low power consumption
CNT conducting tube

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Nanoprobes and sensors

Because of their flexibility, nanotubes can also be used in scanning

probe instruments.
Since MWNT tips are conducting, they can be used in STM and AFM
instruments.
Advantages are the improved resolution in comparison with
conventional Si or metal tips and the tips do not suffer from crashes
with the surfaces because of their high elasticity.
However, Nanotube vibration, due to their large length, will remain
an important issue until shorter nanotubes can be grown controllably.
Nanotube tips can be modified chemically by attachment of
functional groups.

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1. Electronic Devices
Nanotube TV’s
Nano-wiring
2. High Strength Composites
100 times as strong as steel and 1/6 the weight
3. Conductive Composites
4. Medical Applications
Encase drug into nanotube capsule for more predictable time release

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Composite materials
• Because of the stiffness of carbon nanotubes, they are ideal candidates
for structural applications.
• For example, they may be used as reinforcements in high strength, low
weight, and high performance composites.
• Theoretically, SWNTs could have a Young’s Modulus of 1 TPa.
• MWNTs are weaker because the individual cylinders slide with
respect to each other.
• Ropes of SWNTs are also less strong.
• The individual tubes can pull out by shearing and at last the whole
rope will break.

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Templates
• Because of the small channels, strong capillary forces exist in
nanotubes.
• These forces are strong enough to hold gases and fluids in
nanotubes.
• In this way, it may be possible to fill the cavities of the
nanotubes to create nanowires.

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