Web Coating Catalysts for Carbon Nanotubes

摘要

This study demonstrates vacuum web coating as a viable process to make catalysts for large- scale production of CNTs. This presentation also provides an overview of current nanotube technology, with a special focus on synthesis. CNTs have remarkable physical and chemical properties that render them appealing for use in many applications ranging from energy storage, nanoscale electronics, nanomechanical devices, and high-strength, light-weight composite materials. CNTs comprise one or more graphene sheets rolled into cylinders with nanometer diameters and micrometer lengths. The number of cylinders varies from one CNT (single-walled) to more than fifty cylinders nested within one another (multi-walled). CNTs are unique structures that provide very large surface areas, high mechanical strength, and novel electrical properties. Depending only on their diameter and chirality, CNTs are either electrically semiconducting or metallic. Their large aspect ratios make CNTs behave as nearly ideal 1D quantum wires. Moreover, CNTs have very large Young modulus in their axial direction.