A new carbon network is prepared using microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition(MPCVD) under the plasma of a mixture of methane, hydrogen and nitrogen at 720 °C. The Field Emission Scanning Electronic Microscopy(FESEM) images show that the carbon nanotubes are self-organized into carbon networks, which is different from the previously reported carbon nanotube ropes or nanofibers. The carbon networks are about 1 micron in diameter, more than 10 microns in length and composed of hundreds of carbon nanotubes with the diameter from 20 to 100 nm. Energy Dispersive X-Ray(EDX) results confirm that the network is carbon in nature, with a small amount of Ni which was used as catalyst.

Macroscopic poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) and polypropylene (PP) nanocomposites containing vapour-grown carbon nanofibres (CNF) were produced using standard polymer processing. Tensile tests revealed a linear increase in composite stiffness with nanofibre content. A detailed DSC study verified that under standard processing conditions the degree of crystallinity and the crystalline structure of these semicrystalline thermoplastics were not affected by the nanofibres. Nevertheless, we provide evidence that the nanoscale filler can alter the polymer morphology under certain conditions, an effect which needs to be considered when evaluating nanocomposite properties. Given the absence of morphological changes in the standard nanocomposites we were able to calculate the intrinsic nanofibre modulus using short fibre theory; both distinctively different matrix systems show a similar effective nanofibre modulus.

The tendency of single wall carbon nanotubes to organize into crystalline ropes and the aggregation of the ropes into tangled networks act as an obstacle for most applications, and diminishes the special properties of the individual tubes. We describe a procedure for dispersing as-produced nanotube powder in aqueous solutions of Gum Arabic. Dispersion results in spontaneous exfoliation of nanotubes ropes into individual tubes, as demonstrated via x-ray scattering and electron microscopy.

Electrode atoms are slightly diffused, with only about 5% volume-ratio, into the top end of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), standing in nano-pores of porous Alumina membranes. Diffusion of light-mass materials (carbon and aluminum) leads to weak localization in the Altshuler-Aronov-Spivak (AAS) oscillations, which is qualitatively consistent with previous works on MWNTs. In contrast, we find that diffusion of heavy materials (gold and platinum) changes this weak localization into an anti-localization in the MWNT bulk. This effect is only observable when electrons are injected through the diffusion region, and undergo a φ-phase shift in their electron waves, caused by polarized injection of spin-flipped electrons due to spin-orbit interaction in the diffusion-region of the MWNT bulk.

A thermodynamic analysis of the carbon nucleation on the metal surface was performed. From the consideration of the catalytic mechanisms of carbon deposit formation on the metal surface we concluded that majority of these mechanisms include some common steps. The most important of them is the step of nucleation of carbon deposit on the metal surface. The master equation for the dependence of critical radius of the nucleus on reaction parameters was obtained. This equation demonstrates that a variation of the reaction parameters, such as the temperature, the nature of metal catalyst and the degree of supersaturation of the metal-carbon solution, can lead to the formation of different carbon deposits, such as filamentous carbon, multi-wall nanotubes (MWNT) or single-wall nanotubes (SWNT). The analysis performed allows us to conclude that for selective production of SWNT the nucleation must proceed at high temperature on the surface of liquid metal particles (Fe, Co, Ni). For solid metal particles (Mo) a high degree of supersaturation with carbon is also required.

Two field-emission states of single-walled carbon nanotubes were identified according to their respective emission current levels. The state yielding increased emission current was attributed to the presence of adsorbates on the nanotubes as confirmed by electron emission measurements at different background pressures. Application of high electric fields induced large emission currents and a transition between the two states. During this transition, a current drop to 10% of the original value was observed. Under a constant applied electric field, the current took around 1000 s to recover its original level at a background pressure of 10-10 Torr, while it took half that time at 10-6 Torr. For the high current state, field-emitted electrons originated from states located up to 1 eV below the Fermi level, as was determined by field-emission energy distribution measurements. This suggested that adsorbates introduced a resonant state on the surface that enhanced the tunneling probability of electrons. The adsorbed states are removed at high applied electric fields, presumably due to ohmic heating caused by large emission currents. This adsorption/desorption process is completely reversible.

The mechanical properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes are investigated by means of molecular dynamics simulations. The Tersoff-Brenner potential is used for the calculation of the interatomic forces. Two kinds of simulation cells are considered; one adopts the periodic boundary condition along the tube axis and the other corresponds to tube clusters. The atoms at the ends of a simulation cell are translated along its axis, and the Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio are estimated. How these mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes depend on their chiralities is discussed.

A direct synthesis of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on substrates by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is one of highly probable routes to reach their application to field emission displays. Several stringent requirements are prerequisite for this purpose, including low temperature growth below 600°C to engage glass substrates and large area deposition for practical use. This study carried out synthesis of CNTs by thermal CVD on glass substrates at temperatures as low as 500~550°C. CNTs were grown by thermal decomposition of CO and H2 gases at an atmospheric pressure for different thickness of Invar (an Fe-Ni-Co alloy ) catalytic layers. The growth of CNTs was strongly correlated with preparation of catalytic layers. The diameters and heights of as-grown CNTs increased as the catalytic layers became thicker from 2nm to 30nm. Measurements of the field emission properties of CNTs showed that the threshold electric fields were lowered with increasing thickness of catalytic layers. A uniform electron emission was observed over a large area of 150 × 150mm2, with high emission currents and high brightness.

In situ resistivity and thermoelectric power (S) have been used to study the nature of the adsorption of hydrogen in bundles of single-walled carbon nanotubes for H2 pressure P <1 atm and temperatures 77 K<T<500 K. Isothermal plots of S vs. Δρ/ρ0 are found to exhibit linear behavior as a function of gas coverage, consistent with a physisorption process. Studies of S, ρ at T = 500 K as a function of pressure exhibit a plateau at a pressure P~40 Torr, the same pressure where the H % measurements suggest the highest binding energy sites are being saturated. The effects of H2 exposure at 500 K on the thermoelectric transport properties are fully reversible.

In previous works, we have shown our discovery of C60@SWNT and first described the general mechanism of filling, which involves the vapor phase transport of C60 molecules to openings in the SWNTs' walls. Here, we discuss the high-yield synthesis of C60@SWNT by refinements to our method. Yields are measured by a calibrated weight uptake technique, a methodology that is not subject to many of the potential pitfalls inherent to other techniques that have been applied. At certain processing conditions, yields exceeding 90% were obtained and corroborated by transmission electron microscopy. From our data, we determine the parameters most important for creating endohedral SWNT supramolecular assemblies by the vapor phase method. Our results pave the way for successful single-tube measurements and for high-yield filling with non-fullerenes.

We report the synthesis and analysis of metallocenes (ferrocene, chromocene, ruthenocene, vanadocene, tungstenocene-dihydride) encapsulated in single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). In the case of ferrocene, efficient filling of the SWNTs was accomplished from both the liquid and the vapor phase. The other two metallocenes were filled from the vapor phase. High resolution transmission electron microscopy reveals single molecular chains of metallocenes inside SWNTs. Molecules move under the electron beam in the SWNTs indicating the absence of strong chemical bonds between each other and the SWNT wall. Their movement freezes after short illumination as a result of irradiation damage. Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry confirms the presence of iron, chromium, ruthenium, vanadium and tungsten.

Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition is an extremely versatile technique for directly growing multiwalled carbon nanotubes onto various substrates. We will demonstrate the deposition of vertically aligned nanotube arrays, sparsely or densely populated nanotube forests, and precisely patterned arrays of nanotubes. The high-aspect ratio nanotubes (~50 nm in diameter and 5 microns long) produced are metallic in nature and direct contact electrical measurements reveal that each nanotube has a current carrying capacity of 107-108 A/cm2, making them excellent candidates as field emission sources. We examined the field emission characteristics of dense nanotube forests as well as sparse nanotube forests and found that the sparse forests had significantly lower turn-on fields and higher emission currents. This is due to a reduction in the field enhancement of the nanotubes due to electric field shielding from adjacent nanotubes in the dense nanotube arrays. We thus fabricated a uniform array of single nanotubes to attempt to overcome these issues and will present the field emission characteristics of this.

A new design for a field effect transistor able to push back the physical limits of Moore's Law is described. An ab initio computational approach is presented that can be further developed to characterize the ON/OFF states of such a device. Distributed response analysis (M. in het Panhuis, P.L.A. Popelier, R.W. Munn, J.G. Ágyán (2001), J. Chem. Phys. 114, 7951-7961) is employed to investigate conductive behavior. The method demonstrates that in analogy to conduction an electron can move across a possible conjugated molecular switching element (para-nitroaniline) in an electric field.

We present results from resonant Raman spectroscopy on the graphite-like G band by measuring Raman spectra on isolated single wal carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). We discuss the G-band lineshape dependence on nanotube diameter and chirality, as well as polarization studies related to the antenna effect. Symmetry selection rules, dipolar and multipolar antenna behaviors are discussed. Spectra at the single nanotube level are related to spectra observed from SWNT bundles.

A new method for purifying single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) using microwave heating is developed. The microwaves couple to the residual metal catalyst, raising significantly the local temperature leading to both the oxidation and rupturing of the carbon passivation layer over the metal catalyst particles and sintering. With this protective carbon coating weakened or removed, a mild acid treatment in HCl is then sufficient to remove most of the metal in the sample, leaving the nanotubes in tact. Results from transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM & SEM), Raman spectroscopy and thermo-gravimetric studies are discussed.