History and uses of carbonnanotubes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

History and uses of carbonnanotubes - Essay Example The molecule has been known for the past fifteen years. The molecules were observed by employing high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) (Rakov, 2002). It was referred to carbon nanotubes that were multi walled. The molecules contained two graphic layers and nested as Russian dolls. The molecules have diameters of four 4nm. Two years later Bethune and IBM Almaden research centre colleagues, lijima and ichihashi of NEC created a carbon nanotubes that were single walled. Single walled nanotubes were synthesized in the same way to multi walled carbon nanotubes but some metallic particles were added to the electrodes of carbon. The procedure resulted to the difference in appearance among the two molecules. The individual tubes are looped and curled than straight. Twenty fours ago, the electronic properties of single walled nanotubes were predicted by two different research groups. Their findings revealed that single walled nanotubes can either be semi conducting or metallic depending on their diameter or chirality. The prediction was later confirmed by the various experiments done (Crandall, 2007). Since then a review on synthesis, application, electronic properties, characterization and basic metallic properties of carbon nanotubes have been done. The various properties possessed by carbon nanotubes have made it the most investigated nanostructure materials. The various properties of carbon nanotubes have made companies and researchers to apply them in various fields. The molecule has been applied in the fields of energy. It has been applied as an anode for Li-ion batteries. The carbon nanotubes used, is usually coated with silicon to increase the capacity of the battery to more than ten times. Silicon expansion during the cycle of discharge has resulted to anode damage. The application of nanotubes to the silicon anode is aimed at preventing damage caused (Mordkovich & Karaeva,