However, the innate properties of carbon nanotubes can be retained by the surface modification of MWNTs: exposure of the outer wall of MWNTs to chemical modifiers. Generally, when functionalized the electrical and mechanical properties of SWNTs can fluctuate, this is due to the structural defects when C=C bond breakages occur during chemical processes. However, MWNTs demonstrate some advantages over SWNTs, such as scalability due to simplified mass production, improved thermal and chemical stability, and low production cost per unit. Due to their structural complexity and variety in comparison to SWNTs, MWNTs have not yet been well-defined. 755133) are comprised of numerous layers of graphene that have been rolled-up. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) (Product No. 11 Source: Merck Millipore Sigma Material

Transport properties of carbon nanotubes and other conductive materials. Thermal and electrical conductivities of carbon nanotubes are exceptionally high and comparable to other conductive materials as displayed in Table 2. Metallic when (2n+m)/3 is an integer, otherwise, semiconducting Metallic when n is the multiple of 3, otherwise, semiconducting The theoretical electronic conductivity of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) depending on roll orientation of the graphene sheet (n, m). Accordingly, how they are rolled directs the SWNTs' bandgap which can vary from 0 to 2 eV while electrical conductivity can demonstrate metallic or semiconducting behavior. The electrical conductivity of SWNTs relies on the (n, m) values as illustrated in Table 1. They have exceptional electronic properties which can differ considerably with the chiral vector, C = (n, m), the parameter that specifies how the graphene sheet is rolled to produce a carbon nanotube. 755710) are smooth ordered cylinders consisting of a layer of graphene. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) (Product No. The utility of CNTs has been studied in great detail ranging from applications in pioneering electronic fabrication extending to pharmaceutical fields for treatment of many different types of disease. Their unique electronic and mechanical properties can be utilized across a diverse range of applications, such as nanocomposite materials, 5nanosensors, 6field-emission displays 7, and logic elements. 4 Integrated into a polymer, CNTs shift their mechanical load to the polymer matrix at a weight percentage significantly lower than those of carbon black or carbon fibers, promoting applications with greater efficiency.ĬNTs have also been used for thermal protection as thermal interface materials. Their exceptional mechanical properties derive from an amalgamation of strength, stiffness and tenacity.

1-3ĬNTs possess great conductivity and high aspect ratio which enables the formation of a network of conductive tubes. 1 Since Iijima’s revelation, CNTs have retained a key role in the field of nanotechnology due to their particular electronic, mechanical, and structural properties. Fortuitously discovered by Japanese physicist Sumio Iijima while he was studying the surface of graphite electrodes in an electric arc discharge, Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), simply known as 'nanotubes,' are cylindrical carbon allotrope nanostructures.