Synthesis of CNT

Presented by : Varun Doshi

Roll no - 29
 What is Nanotechnology?
Nanotechnology is the ability to control or
manipulate materials on the atomic scale to
create structures that have novel properties and
functions because of their size, shape or
composition.

These structures are typically less than 100

nanometers in size.
Understanding the
Nanodimension
 What Are Carbon
Nanotubes?
CNT can be described as a
sheet of graphite rolled into
a cylinder
Constructed from hexagonal
rings of carbon
Can have one layer or
multiple layers
Can have caps at the ends
making them look like pills
 Carbon nanotube properties

One dimensional sheets of hexagonal network of carbon rolled

to form tubes

~1 nm in diameter & can be microns long in length

Varieties include single-wall and multi-wall nanotubes, ropes,

bundles, arrays

Strongest and stiffest materials yet discovered in terms of

tensile strength and elastic modulus

Multi-walled nanotubes exhibit a striking telescoping property

whereby an inner nanotube core may slide, almost without
friction, within its outer nanotube shell thus creating an
atomically perfect linear or rotational bearing
 CNT properTies CONTD
All nanotubes are expected to be very good thermal
conductors along the tube, exhibiting a property
known as "ballistic conduction," but good insulators
laterally to the tube axis.

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes with interconnected

inner shells show superconductivity with a relatively
high transition temperature
 Methods of synthesis
of CNT

Arc discharge

Laser ablation

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD)

 Arc Discharge
Nanotubes were initially discovered using this technique so it
is the most widely-used method of nanotube synthesis

Carbon contained in the negative electrode sublimates

because of the high discharge temperatures forming
Nanotubes

Yield for this method is up to 30 percent by weight

Produces both single- and multi-walled nanotubes with

lengths of up to 50 micrometers with few structural defects
Diagrammatic representation
of Arc Discharge
 Laser ablation
Developed by Dr. Richard Smalley and co-workers at Rice University

Pulsed laser vaporizes a graphite target in a high-temperature reactor

which has inert gas

Nanotubes develop on the cooler surfaces of the reactor as the

vaporized carbon condenses

Water-cooled surface may be included in the system to collect the

nanotubes

The laser ablation method yields around 70% and

Produces primarily single-walled carbon nanotubes with a controllable

diameter determined by the reaction temperature

More expensive than either arc discharge or chemical vapor deposition

Diagrammatic representation
of Laser ablation
 Chemical vapor deposition
(CVD)
Commercial method for production of carbon nanotubes

Substrate is prepared with a layer of metal catalyst particles(commonly

nickel, cobalt, iron, or a combination)

Diameters of the nanotubes depends on the size of the metal particles

Two gases are bled into the reactor:

a process gas (such as ammonia, nitrogen or hydrogen) and
a carbon-containing gas (such as acetylene, ethylene, ethanol or methane)

This can be controlled by patterned (or masked) deposition of the metal,

annealing, or by plasma etching of a metal layer

Substrate is now heated to ~ 700C which initiate the growth of nanotubes

 CVD . . . contd
Nanotubes grow at the sites of the metal catalyst; the carbon-
containing gas is broken apart at the surface of the catalyst particle,
and the carbon is transported to the edges of the particle, where it
forms the nanotubes.

Catalyst particles can stay at the tips of the growing nanotube during
the growth process, or remain at the nanotube base, depending on
the adhesion between the catalyst particle and the substrate

One issue in this synthesis route is the removal of the catalyst

support via an acid treatment, which sometimes could destroy the
original structure of the carbon nanotubes. However, alternative
catalyst supports that are soluble in water have proven effective for
nanotube growth
Diagrammatic representation
of CVD
 CNT application in
nanomedicine
Multipurpose innovative carriers for drug
delivery and diagnostic applications
Biosensors, composite materials, molecular
electronics
Delivery of drugs, antigens and genes
Functionalized CNTs with high solubility and
low toxicity as drug carriers
High loading capacity of drug in double
functionalized carbon nanotube
 Bibliography
Available at URL:
http://www.fy.chalmers.se/atom/research/nanotubes/experimental.xml

Available at URL:
http://ipn2.epfl.ch/CHBU/NTproduction2.htm

Available at URL:
http://www.ifwdresden.de/institutes/iff/research/Cabon/CNT/laser-ablation

Available at URL:
http://www.fy.chalmers.se/atom/research/nanotubes/experimental.xml