Fullerene/carbon nanotube application potential

Because of the great expectations that these carbon nanostructures—fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, graphene, and related species20—have for potential applications in... 

There are many applications for diamonds and related materials, e.g., diamondlike carbon films, and there are potential applications for Fullerenes and carbon nanotubes that have not yet been realised. However, the great majority of engineering carbons, including most of those described in this book, have graphitic microstructures or disordered graphitic microstructures. Also, most engineering carbon materials are derived firom organic precursors by heat-treatment in inert atmospheres (carbonisation). A selection of technically-... 

The structure-property relations of fullerenes, fullerene-derived solids, and carbon nanotubes are reviewed in the context of advanced technologies for carbon-hased materials. The synthesis, structure and electronic properties of fullerene solids are then considered, and modifications to their structure and properties through doping with various charge transfer agents are reviewed. Brief comments are included on potential applications of this unique family of new materials. 

Fullerenes—or cage compounds built exclusively from carbon atoms—and their metal-containing derivatives, metaUofuUerenes, were first observed in the gas phase by Kroto et al. [1,2] less than 20 years ago and prepared in crystalline form by Kratschmer et al. [3] less than 15 years ago. StiU, an enormous amount of observed and computed data has been obtained during this time (see, e.g. recent surveys on fullerenes [4-8] and endohedral metallofullerenes [9,10]). In addition to spheroidal fullerene cages, fullerene science also deals with other objects like elongated cylindrical bodies known as nanotubes, prepared by lijima [11] soon after mastering the fullerene synthesis, nanocones [12] or peapods [13]. AU the species exhibit a substantial application potential, especially for molecular electronics [14]. 

During the past decades, nanotechnology has attracted great attention due to its marvellous potential applications in numerous areas [90]. Polymer nanocomposite is a unique addition in the nanotechnology family. In polymer nanocomposite, one phase is dispersed in another phase in nanometer level [19]. Different types of reinforcing fillers such as sodium montmo-rillonite, sodium bentonite, layered double hydroxide, exfohated graphite, fullerene, carbon nanofiber, and carbon nanotube have been successfully used in the preparation of polymer nanocomposites [19]. Recently,... 

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