Article Title

Curved carbon nanotubes: From unique geometries to novel properties and peculiar applications

Authors

Lizhao Liu, Key Laboratory of Materials Modification by Laser, Ion and Electron Beams (Dalian University of Technology), Ministry of Education, Dalian 116024, China Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
Feng Liu, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
Jijun Zhao, Key Laboratory of Materials Modification by Laser, Ion and Electron Beams (Dalian University of Technology), Ministry of Education, Dalian 116024, China

Keywords

pentagon, heptagon, toroidal CNTs, kinked CNTs, coiled CNTs

Abstract

Incorporating pentagons and heptagons into the hexagonal networks of pristine carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can form various CNT-based nanostructures, as pentagons and heptagons will bend or twist the CNTs by introducing positive and negative curvature, respectively. Some typical so-made CNT-based nanostructures are reviewed in this article, including zero-dimensional toroidal CNTs, and one-dimensional kinked and coiled CNTs. Due to the presence of non-hexagonal rings and curved geometries, such nanostructures possess rather different structural, physical and chemical properties from their pristine CNT counterparts, which are reviewed comprehensively in this article. Additionally, their synthesis, modelling studies, and potential applications are discussed.

Graphical Abstract

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-014-0431-1

Publisher

Tsinghua University Press

Recommended Citation

Lizhao Liu,Feng Liu,Jijun Zhao, Curved carbon nanotubes: From unique geometries to novel properties and peculiar applications. NanoRes.2014, 7(5): 626–657