Carbon nano filaments

This process of filament growth is closely related to the synthesis of single walled carbon nano-tubes. Here the aim is to selectively produce a single layer of carbon in a tube that is as long as possible. Owing to their extreme mechanical strength and interesting electronic behavior these materials have recently attracted substantial interest in materials science. 

In 1976 nano-filaments were discovered by Oberlin et al. [24, 25] however, Lijima had a huge impact on the scientific community with lijima s paper on Nature, and his following discovery of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) [26]. 

Muradov, N. and Schwitter, A. "Formation of Conical Carbon Structures on Vapor-grown Carbon Filaments", Nano Letters, v.2, 673 (2002). 

The discovery of fullerenes in 1985 (1) sparked the interest of researchers in novel crystalline forms of carbon. As a result, while hollow carbon filaments and nano-tube-like stractures had been reported many years before (2), the publications of lijima and Ichihasi (3, 4) and Bethune et al. (5), shortly after the development of fullerenes, generated an unprecedented wave of excitement and intense research in academic as well as industrial labs around the world. Nobel laureate Richard Smalley, co-discoverer of fullerenes, was a strong advocate of nanotube research and his endorsement strengthened the field. The results of such an extensive effort quickly demonstrated the unique properties of these carbon structures, as well as a cornucopia of potential applications in many fields of technology (6). 

There is, however, more to this story. The fullerenes were essentially a stepping stone in the realization that pyrolyses of carbonaceous gases, under different conditions, would provide a totally new family of carbon structures, now known as nanotubes. These take different forms, such as nano-homs, necklaces, bamboo and sausage formats, and others which will no doubt be found in future literature. These materials have a potential for applications because they are graphitic and filamentous and as such have an ability to transmit heat and electricity, over and above the mechanical properties of a near-perfect graphitic filament (fiber). 

Kumar, S., Doshi, H., Srinivasarao, M., Park, J.O., Schiraldi, D.A. Fibers from polypropylene/nano carbon fiber composites . Polymer 43(5) (2002), 1701-1703 Chatterjee, A., Deopura, B.L. High modulus and high strength PP nanocomposite filament . Comp. Part A 31(5) (2006), 813-817... 

---