Sponsored by MerckJan 21 2021
Fortuitously discovered by Japanese physicist Sumio Iijima while he was studying the surface of graphite electrodes in an electric arc discharge, Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), simply known as 'nanotubes,' are cylindrical carbon allotrope nanostructures.
1 Since Iijima’s revelation, CNTs have retained a key role in the field of nanotechnology due to their particular electronic, mechanical, and structural properties.
CNTs possess great conductivity and high aspect ratio which enables the formation of a network of conductive tubes. Their exceptional mechanical properties derive from an amalgamation of strength, stiffness and tenacity.
4 Integrated into a polymer, CNTs shift their mechanical load to the polymer matrix at a weight percentage significantly lower than those of carbon black or carbon fibers, promoting applications with greater efficiency.