Carbon Nanobud

Carbon NanoBuds (CNB ) is a 2006 newly discovered form of carbon in the form of covalently bonded together molecules of single-walled carbon nanotubes and fullerenes. The C60 and C70 fullerenes are on the outer surface of single-walled carbon nanotubes (English single-walled carbon nanotubes, SWCNTs ) bound.

History

The four members of the research group ( Esko Kauppinen, David Brown, Albert Nasibulin and Hua Jiang) at the Helsinki University of Technology founded the Finnish company Oy Canatu, which holds the patents on the new material and the manufacturing process.

They were found in attempts to produce single-walled carbon nanotubes. The nanotubes generated in a standard reactor appeared to be coated with a layer of geklusterten carbon atoms. On examination with the electron microscope, it was discovered that most of the elements of these coatings were fullerenes. Upon further investigation, with a transmission electron microscope ( TEM) has been found that these fullerenes were stationary, ie not moving over the surface of the nanotubes. This was uncharacteristic of this mixture and put a strong binding of fullerenes to nanotubes advance. This was then confirmed in several tests.

The investigations with UV spectroscopy showed that it was elliptical C70 fullerenes. The reason for this was the presence of oxygen in each of the balls. By observation with infrared spectroscopy ethers and esters could be detected. These components are responsible for the binding of the fullerenes and nanotubes with high probability.

Properties

CNBs in the properties of fullerenes and nanotubes are combined, wherein the mechanical characteristics and the electrical conductivity similar to those of the underlying nanotube while the highly curved surfaces may be used to Fuller field emission. At randomly oriented Nanobuds has already been shown that these are characterized by an extremely low work in the field emission of electrons. All CNBs are semiconducting.

Production

The CNBs can be prepared in a continuous -working reactor aerosol. On the reaction parameters, the density of the availability can be controlled with fullerenes.

Expected applications

From the findings of fullerene chemistry is concluded that such hybrid materials could conditionally suitable by the higher reactivity of the attached fullerene, for many applications.

• The bound fullerene molecules are conceivable, for example, as an anchor to prevent the slipping of the nanotubes in composite materials, which would improve their mechanical properties.
• Due to the field emission characteristics of new field emission displays (FED ) and backlights are therefore conceivable.
• The use in a transparent and flexible display is also possible, since the required voltages for the emission are very low.