2. Carbon nanotubes- sheets of graphite rolled up and
capped at both ends by half of C60 molecule
● C60 = molecular form of carbon
● Carbon nanotubes were discovered soon after
discovery of C60
Carbon Nanotubes
carbon nanotube
3. 2 Types of carbon nanotubes
Multi-Walled and Single Walled
1. Microwall
○ Tubes within tubes, nested together
2. Single-walled
○ Single tubes
○ Length= 100 nm long, diameter= 1nm
Single and multi walled carbon
nanotubes
4. Conductors Versus Semiconductors
1. Diameter (and the way in which the sheet of graphene
is rolled) determines whether the tube is a conductor
or semiconductor
○ can become semiconductors without doping
■ Doping = adding small amounts of impurity
atoms to semiconductors
■ This makes carbon unique from all other solid-
state materials
5. Conductors Versus Semiconductors
○ Because carbon nanotubes can be semiconductors or
conductors, there is interest in building nanoscale electronic
circuits using only carbon nanotubes
■ The first field effect transistor (FET) built using a single
carbon nanotube, 1998
■ A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify
and switch electronic signals and electrical power
a 3-D depiction of a nanoscale
electronic circuit using multiple carbon
nanotubes
One of the many different types of
single carbon nanotube FET's
6. Exploration for Mechanical Properties
1. Carbon-carbon bonded framework= eliminates
imperfections
■ Imperfections DO occur in metal nanowire
2. Carbon nanotubes are stronger than a same sized
sample of steel
3. They have been spun into with polymers
■ Adds great strength and durability to the
composite material
7. Works Cited
Brown, Theodore L., H. Eugene LeMay, and Bruce Edward. Bursten. Chemistry: The
Central Science. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2000. Print.
CNT Illustration. Model. Electronic and optical properties: carbon nanotubes. 8 Aug
2006. Web. 22 April 2013.
Field Effect Transistor. Animation. NIMS. n.d. Web. April 22 2013.
Post Silicon PTM. Model. Interactive modeling and online simulation platform. 14 August
2012. Web. 22 April 2013.
Schematic diagrams of single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) and multi-wall carbon
nanotube (MWCNT). Diagram. Intech. 17 Aug 2011. Web. 22 April 2013.
