Kurdistan Region-Iraq

Ministry of Higher Education

Scientific Research
University of Zakho Faculty of Science
Department of Chemistry

(carbon nanotubes: synthesis, properties, and applications)

Submitted by:
Roshhat tahbir hussein

B.Sc. Research Proposal

A Proposal Submitted to the University of Zakho as partial
fulfillment of the requirements of degree B.Sc in Chemistry
Under the SUPERVISION:

Mr. IDREES S. KHALO

2020 - 2021

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1.INTRODUCTION

In parallel with the increasing population and urbanization of the world, the
energy demand is increasing day by day. Considering the fact that the fossil fuels are
used to meet a large part of the world's energy needs, which will be consumed in a very
short time, should be replaced by alternate energy sources [1,2]. It can be said that nano
carbon derivatives with the porous structure and high surface area are the most
appropriate storage material. The two most important derivatives of nano carbons are
carbon nanotube (CNT) .

Carbon is the chemical element with atomic number 6 and has six electrons
which occupy 1 s2, 2 s2, and 2p2 atomic orbital. It can hybridize in sp, sp2, or sp3 forms.
Discoveries of very constant nanometer size sp 2 carbon bonded materials such as
graphene , fullerenes, and carbon nanotubes have encouraged to make inquiries in this
field. Most of the physical properties of carbon nanotubes derive from graphene. In
graphene, carbon atoms are densely organized in a regular sp2-bonded atomic-scale
honeycomb (hexagonal) pattern, and this pattern is a basic structure for other sp2 carbon
bonded materials (allotropes) such as fullerenes and carbon nanotubes. Carbon
nanotube is theoretically distinct as a cylinder fabricated of rolled up grapheme sheet.
It can divide into a single well or multiple wells. Nanotubes with single well are
described as single-wall carbon na notubes (SWCNTs) and were first reported in 1993
, while the ones with more than one well are multiwall carbon nanotubes
(MWCNTs)figure (1)

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Figure(1)Rolling up of graphene sheet to create Carbon Nanotubes [ 1 ].

1.1. The history of CNTs

The molecules were first discovered by Iijima(figure 2) in 1991 when he was

studying the synthesis of fullerenes by using electric arc discharge technique. The high
resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) was employed for observation
of that phenomenon. Carbon nanotubes that Iijima observed were so called multiwalled
carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) as , nested as Russian dolls, containing at least two
graphitic layers, and generally have inner diameters of around 4 nm. Two years later,
Iijima and Ichihashi of NEC and Bethune and colleagues of the IBM Almaden
Research Center in California synthesized single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs)
. The SWNTs were synthesized by the same route of producing MWNTs but adding
some metal particles to the carbon electrodes. The appearance of SWNT is quite
different to that of MWNT. The individual tubes have very small diameters (typically
~ 1nm), and are curled and looped rather than straight. In the early 1990s, two research
groups predicted electronic properties of individual SWNTs. From their calculations,
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they found that SWNTs can be either metallic or semiconducting depending on their
chirality and diameter.

Figure(2)Sumio Iijima is a Senior Research Fellow at NEC's Central Research Laboratories, who
inspired the world with his discovery of new carbon nanotube materials in 1991(6)

1.2. The properties of CNTs

Since carbon nanotubes have the sp2 bonds between the individual carbon atoms, they
have a higher tensile strength than steel and Kevlar. This bond is even stronger than
the sp3 bond found in diamond. Theoretically, SWCNTs may really have a tensile
strength hundreds of times stronger than steel.
Another amazing property of carbon nanotubes is also elasticity. Under high force and
press sitting and when exposed to great axial compressive forces, it can bend, twist,
kink, and finally buckle without damaging the nanotube, and the nanotube will return
to its original structure, but an elasticity of nanotubes does have a limit, and under very
physically powerful forces presses, it is possible to temporarily deform to shape of a
nanotube. Some of the defects in the structure of the nanotube can weaken a nanotube’s
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strength, for example, defects in atomic vacancies or a rearrangement of the carbon
bonds.

Elasticity in both single and multiwalled nanotubes is determined by elastic modulus

or modulus of elasticity . The elasticity modulus of multiwall nanotubes (MWNTs) is
analyzed with transmission electron microscopes (TEM). Scientists using the TEM
measure and examine the thermal vibrations at both ends of the tubes. As a result of
the strength of the atomic bonds in carbon nanotubes, they not only can withstand high
temperatures but also have been shown to be very good thermal conductors. They can
withstand up to 750°C at normal and 2,800°C in vacuum atmospheric pressures. The
temperature of the tubes and the outside environment can affect the thermal
conductivity of carbon nanotubes. Some of the major physical properties of carbon
nanotubes are summarized in

1.3. Synthesis of of CNTs

There are several techniques that have been developed for fabricating CNT
structures which mainly involve gas phase processes. Commonly, three
procedures are being used for producing CNTs: (1) the chemical vapor deposition
(CVD) technique, (2) the laser-ablation technique [and (3) the carbon
arcdischarge technique (Table 1). High temperature preparation techniques for
example laser ablation or arc discharge were first used to synthesize CNTs, but
currently, these techniques have been substituted by low temperature chemical
vapor deposition (CVD) methods (<800°C), since the nanotube length, diameter,
alignment, purity, density, and orientation of CNTs can be accurately controlled in
the low temperature chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods

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Table(1): Summary and comparison of three most common CNT synthesis methods
Method CVD
Arc
Laser ablation
discharge

Yield rate >75% >75% >75%

Both Both Both

SWNT or
MWNT

Advantage Simple, Relatively high

inexpensive, purity,
high-quality roomtemperature
nanotubes synthesis Simple, low
temperature,
high purity,
large-scale
production,
aligned
growth
possible

Disadvantage High Synthesized

temperature,
CNTs are
purification
required, Method usually
tangled limited to the
labscale, crude MWNTs,
nanotubes
product defects
purification
required

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1.4. Applications of CNTs

Applications for nanotubes encompass many fields and disciplines such as medicine,
nanotechnology, manufacturing, construction, electronics, and so on. The following
application can be noted: high-strength composites , actuators , energy storage and
energy conversion devices , nanoprobes and sensors, hydrogen storage media ,
electronic devices, and catalysis . However, the following sections detail existing
applications of CNTs in the biomedical industry exclusively(figure 3). Before use of
carbon nanotube in biological and biomedical environments, there are three barriers
which must be overcome: functionalization, pharmacology, and toxicity of CNTs. One
of the main disadvantages of carbon nanotubes is the lack of solubility in aqueous
media, and to overcome this problem, scientists have been modifying the surface of
CNTs, i.e., fictionalization with different hydrophilic molecules and chemistries that
improve the water solubility and biocompatibility of CNT

Figure (3) Usage and Applications in CNT(12)

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2. LITERATURE REVIEW
Nanotechnology has emerged at the forefront of science research and technology
development. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are major building blocks of this new
technology. They possess unique electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties, with
potential wide applications in the electronics, computer, aerospace, and other
industries. CNTs exist in two forms, single-wall (SWCNTs) and multi-wall
(MWCNTs)(figure4). They are manufactured predominately by electrical arc
discharge, laser ablation and chemical vapor deposition processes; these processes
involve thermally stripping carbon atoms off from carbon-bearing compounds.
SWCNT formation requires catalytic metals. There has been a great concern that if
CNTs, which are very light, enter the working environment as suspended particulate
matter (PM) of respirable sizes, they could pose an occupational inhalation exposure
hazard.

(Figure 4) (A) To (D): SWCNTs; € to (H): MWCNTs. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images show
SWCNT (B) and MWCNT (F) aggregates; transmission electron microscope (TEM) images show raw
SWCNT bundles (ropes) with metal nanoparticles (C), and individual multiwall tubes (G). High-resolution
TEM images show a cross-section of a SWCNT bundle (D) consisting of > 25 tubes and some amorphous
carbon on the edges,

and a longitudinal cross-section of a MWCNT (H) with an empty central cavity and 20 walls on
each side and some amorphous carbon. (C), (G), and (H) are courtesy of P.
Nikolaev of the JSC Nanomaterials Group, and (F) is courtesy of J. Rodriguez of Universitat de
Barcelona(19)
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3. PROBLEMS:
World’s requirements are increasing due to the growing population and changes in
living styles, and on the other side, the natural resources are depleting at an alarming
rate together with environmental issues.
Fossil fuels like gasoline are destined to deplete in the near future. Hence scientists
are investigating renewable types of energy sources. Hydrogen is one of them. In
such a scenario, hydrogen as a fuel comes into the picture to fulfill the energy
requirements.

4. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

From a futuristic perspective, hydrogen is predicted to be an efficient alternative fuel
that can be utilized widely in different sectors. Here, we highlight the most important
and novel studies of the mechanical behavior (unique structural, electronic, and
mechanical properties) Carbon nanotubes applications in storage as in hydrogen
storage.

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Scanningelectronmicroscope-SEM-images-show_fig1_7095695

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