Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are fullerenes of closed-cage carbon molecules typically arranged in hexagons and pentagons. Commonly known as "buckytubes," these cylindrical carbon structures have extraordinary properties, including high electrical and thermal conductivity, as well as high strength and stiffness. With intrinsic strength estimated to be on the order of 100 times that of steel, SWNTs are a possible strengthening reinforcement in composite materials. The intrinsic electronic properties of SWNTs also make them electrical conductors and useful in applications involving field mission devices such as flat-panel displays, and in polymers used for radio frequency interference and electromagnetic shielding that require electrical conductance properties.
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