Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Scientists.can.alter.the.properties.of.CNTs.by.adding.functional.groups.to.the.
outside.of.the.nanotubes..For.example,.adding.hydroxyl.groups.to.the.outer.surface.
can.make.CNTs.water.soluble.
The.physical.properties.of.CNTs.may.lead.to.a.wide.variety.of.commercial.appli-
cations..CNTs.may.ultimately.have.the.following.uses.[27]:
•
Materials.and.chemistry.applications:.polymer.CNT.composites,.coatings,.
membranes,.and.catalysis
Medicine.and.life.science.tools:.“lab.on.a.chip”.for.medical.diagnoses,.drug.
delivery,.chemical.sensors,.and.ilters.for.water.and.food.treatment
Electronics.and.information.technology:.lighting.elements,.single-electron.
transistors,.molecular.computing.and.data.storage,.electromechanical.sen-
sors,.micro-electro-mechanical.systems.(MEMS)
Energy:. super. capacitors. for. energy. storage,. solar. cells,. fuel. cells,. and.
superconductive.material
•
•
•
Products.containing.CNTs.that.are.now.available.[1].include.a.variety.of.sport-
ing.goods.that.utilize.nanotubes.to.strengthen.the.resins..These.include.baseball.bats,.
bicycle.frames,.golf.clubs,.hockey.sticks,.and.tennis.rackets..CNTs.also.have.been.
used. to. strengthen. plastics. used. in. automobiles.. Finally,. two. products. use. carbon.
nanotubes.in.video.displays.
2.4.6 F
ullerenes
A. fullerene. is. a. spherical. particle. most. commonly. comprising. 60. carbon. atoms.
arranged.as.20.hexagons.or.12.pentagons.(Figure.2.3)..The.diameter.of.a.C60.fuller-
ene.is.approximately.10.0.Angstroms.(Å),.or.1.00.nm..The.structure.of.a.C60.mol-
ecule.resembles.one.of.the.geodetic.domes.built.by.architect.R..Buckminster.Fuller,.
and.thus.the.name.“buckminsterfullerene,”.abbreviated.“fullerene.”.The.discovery.
FiguRe .
Fullerene.
