Advances in Carbon Nanotubes: Synthesis, Properties, and Cutting-Edge Applications

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Synthesis, Interfaces and Nanostructures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 October 2024 | Viewed by 2565

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan
Interests: synthesis, characterization, and application of nanomaterials (CNTs); CNT-based electronic devices/thermal/electrical materials; nanofabrication; field emission

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Guest Editor
Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Master’s and Doctoral Program in Materials Innovation, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Interests: electron microscopy; nanomaterials; growth mechanism; mechanical properties; catalysis; in situ electron microscopy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), with their unique cylindrical structures and diverse exceptional properties, have attracted extensive attention over the past three decades. Research and applications have advanced significantly across various fields. Recently, with the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, the integration of nanoscience and AI has paved the way for innovative approaches to CNT synthesis, optimizing parameters with unprecedented precision and efficiency. From controlled growth mechanisms to tailored structural design, these advancements not only propel the field forward but also open avenues for the unparalleled customization of CNT properties.

This Special Issue of Nanomaterials will explore several key themes, incorporating both traditional and AI-enhanced modern research methodologies, including but not limited to scalable and sustainable methods for CNT synthesis, investigations into structural properties, and the transformative impact of CNTs across diverse fields such as nanoelectronics, energy storage, composite reinforcement, and biomedical applications. The objective is to capture the interest of both academic and industrial researchers, fostering an enhanced understanding of CNTs while also introducing innovative ideas to shape future applications and technologies. Researchers are encouraged to contribute original research articles or review articles addressing the current state of advancements in the CNT field.

Dr. Guohai Chen
Prof. Dr. Dai-Ming Tang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • carbon nanotube
  • nanoparticle
  • synthesis
  • chemical vapor deposition
  • spectroscopy
  • energy
  • electrode
  • cutting-edge device
  • AI
  • machine learning

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 2939 KiB  
Article
Structural, Electrical, and Optical Properties of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Synthesized through Floating Catalyst Chemical Vapor Deposition
by Melorina Dolafi Rezaee, Biplav Dahal, John Watt, Mahir Abrar, Deidra R. Hodges and Wenzhi Li
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(11), 965; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14110965 - 2 Jun 2024
Viewed by 73
Abstract
Single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) thin films were synthesized by using a floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition (FCCVD) method with a low flow rate (200 sccm) of mixed gases (Ar and H2). SWCNT thin films with different thicknesses can be prepared by [...] Read more.
Single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) thin films were synthesized by using a floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition (FCCVD) method with a low flow rate (200 sccm) of mixed gases (Ar and H2). SWCNT thin films with different thicknesses can be prepared by controlling the collection time of the SWCNTs on membrane filters. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the SWCNTs formed bundles and that they had an average diameter of 1.46 nm. The Raman spectra of the SWCNT films suggested that the synthesized SWCNTs were very well crystallized. Although the electrical properties of SWCNTs have been widely studied so far, the Hall effect of SWCNTs has not been fully studied to explore the electrical characteristics of SWCNT thin films. In this research, Hall effect measurements have been performed to investigate the important electrical characteristics of SWCNTs, such as their carrier mobility, carrier density, Hall coefficient, conductivity, and sheet resistance. The samples with transmittance between 95 and 43% showed a high carrier density of 1021–1023 cm−3. The SWCNTs were also treated using Brønsted acids (HCl, HNO3, H2SO4) to enhance their electrical properties. After the acid treatments, the samples maintained their p-type nature. The carrier mobility and conductivity increased, and the sheet resistance decreased for all treated samples. The highest mobility of 1.5 cm2/Vs was obtained with the sulfuric acid treatment at 80 °C, while the highest conductivity (30,720 S/m) and lowest sheet resistance (43 ohm/square) were achieved with the nitric acid treatment at room temperature. Different functional groups were identified in our synthesized SWCNTs before and after the acid treatments using Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Full article
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9 pages, 3703 KiB  
Article
Chromatographic Assessment of Organic Compounds Using Carbon Nanotubes: The Relationship between Affinity and Dispersibility
by Taiyo Shimizu, Ryoichi Kishi, Atsushi Hirano, Ken Kokubo and Kenji Hata
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(10), 824; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14100824 - 8 May 2024
Viewed by 631
Abstract
The affinity between carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and organic compounds is of substantial importance since it strongly relates to the dispersibility of CNTs in those compounds. Several affinity evaluation methods have been developed so far, and the concept of the Hansen solubility parameter is [...] Read more.
The affinity between carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and organic compounds is of substantial importance since it strongly relates to the dispersibility of CNTs in those compounds. Several affinity evaluation methods have been developed so far, and the concept of the Hansen solubility parameter is a representative method widely used in the field of nanocarbon materials. Here, we demonstrate that CNT-loaded silica columns can effectively assess the affinity of organic compounds for CNT surface by exploiting the chromatographic retention time as a criterion. Obtained trends of the affinity of organic compounds for CNT were compared to those based on Hansen solubility parameter distance values. Most organic compounds showed similar trends, but one exceptional compound was observed. Simple CNT dispersion tests were conducted with these organic compounds to demonstrate the advantage of the chromatographic assessment. Further, we conducted comparison experiments using a pyrene-functionalized column and other CNT-loaded columns to elucidate the characteristics of each CNT column. The chromatographic approaches using CNT columns would be beneficial for realizing CNT suspensions with improved CNT dispersibility. Full article
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13 pages, 5156 KiB  
Article
Enhancing the Thermal Conductivity of CNT/AlN/Silicone Rubber Composites by Using CNTs Directly Grown on AlN to Achieve a Reduced Filler Filling Ratio
by Naoyuki Matsumoto, Don N. Futaba, Takeo Yamada and Ken Kokubo
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(6), 528; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14060528 - 15 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1040
Abstract
Achieving the thermal conductivity required for efficient heat management in semiconductors and other devices requires the integration of thermally conductive ceramic fillers at concentrations of 60 vol% or higher. However, an increased filler content often negatively affects the mechanical properties of the composite [...] Read more.
Achieving the thermal conductivity required for efficient heat management in semiconductors and other devices requires the integration of thermally conductive ceramic fillers at concentrations of 60 vol% or higher. However, an increased filler content often negatively affects the mechanical properties of the composite matrix, limiting its practical applicability. To address this issue, in this paper, we present a new strategy to reduce the required ceramic filler content: the use of a thermally conductive ceramic composite filler with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) grown on aluminum nitride (AlN). We combined catalyst coating technology with vacuum filtration to ensure that the catalyst was uniformly applied to micrometer-sized AlN particles, followed by the efficient and uniform synthesis of CNTs using a water-assisted process in a vertical furnace. By carefully controlling the number of vacuum filtration cycles and the growth time of the CNTs, we achieved precise control over the number and length of the CNT layers, thereby adjusting the properties of the composite to the intended specifications. When AlN/CNT hybrid fillers are incorporated into silicone rubber, while maintaining the mechanical properties of rubber, the thermal diffusivity achieved at reduced filler levels exceeds that of composites using AlN-only or simultaneous AlN and CNTs formulations. This demonstrates the critical influence of CNTs on AlN surfaces. Our study represents a significant advancement in the design of thermally conductive materials, with potential implications for a wide range of applications. Full article
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