CHEMISTRY CALA

COMPONENT E: NANOCHEMISTRY
Contents
Background 4
Part A 4
Features of Carbon Nanotubes 4
What are Carbon Nanotubes? 4
Carbon Nanotubes Properties 4

∙ Electrical Conductivity 5

∙ Strength and Elasticity 5

∙ Thermal Conductivity and Expansion 5

Categories of Carbon Nanotubes 5

Methods for synthesis of CNTs 7
Chemical vapor deposition method ( CVD ) 7
Electric arc discharge method 8
Laser ablation method 9
Diagrams to depict methods for synthesis of CNTs 10
Drawbacks of methods used for synthesis of CNTs 11
Part B 12
3D Model of Carbon Nanotube 12
Desirable properties of CNTs 13
Conclusion and write up 13
Reference 14
Background

Part A

Features of Carbon Nanotubes

What are Carbon Nanotubes?

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are cylindrical molecules that consist of rolled-up sheets of single-layer carbon
atoms (graphene). They can be single-walled (SWCNT) with a diameter of less than 1 nanometer (nm) or
multi-walled (MWCNT), consisting of several concentrically interlinked nanotubes, with diameters
reaching more than 100 nm. Their length can reach several micrometers or even millimeters.

Features:

Carbon Nanotubes Properties

● CNTs have high electrical conductivity

● CNTs have high thermal conductivity
● CNTs are very elastic (18% elongation to failure)
● CNTs aspect ratio
● CNTs have very high tensile strength
● CNTs have a low thermal expansion coefficient
● CNTs are highly flexible — can be bent considerably without damage
● CNTs are good electron field emitters
 ● Strength and Elasticity

The carbon atoms of graphene {which is a single sheet of graphite} form a flat honeycomb
pattern. Each atom is attached to three nearby atoms by a strong bond. These strong bonds
make graphene very hard. So carbon nanotubes are thought to be the ultimate strong fibers.
Single-walled nanotubes are stiffer than steel and extremely hard to damage physically. When
the tip of a nanotube is pressed, it bends without hurting the tip. And when you remove the
force, the tip goes back to how it was before.

● Electrical Conductivity

Carbon nanotubes with specific combinations of M and N (structural parameters indicating how much
the nanotube is twisted) allow electrons to flow freely, making them highly conductive materials.
Scientists have discovered their conductivity depends on the nanotube's diameter and degree of twist.
Carbon nanotubes can act as either semi-conductors or metals for electricity. They can either somewhat
restrict electron flow or allow electrons to flow with little resistance.

● Thermal Conductivity and Expansion

Nanotubes can carry heat well and change shape when heated. Researchers found that carbon
nanotubes have properties that make them useful to move heat and change shape. Nanotubes are
made of carbon atoms bonded tightly together. This makes the nanotubes very stiff and strong against
forces that try to stretch or squeeze them from side to side. But when heated, they can change shape
easily in the up-and-down direction. Researchers think nanotubes could be used in many ways. For
example, they could carry heat in materials and machines. Nanotubes could also be used in tiny devices
that sense and move things. Researchers also think adding nanotubes to materials could make the
materials stronger.

Categories of Carbon Nanotubes

There are two types of carbon nanotubes namely  Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes and Multi-Walled
Carbon Nanotubes.

Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWNTs)

Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes are defined as a one dimensional, cylindrically shaped allotropes of
carbon that have a high surface area and aspect ratio (length to diameter ratio).Because of their small
diameter and large aspect ratio, SWNTs are considered a one dimensional (1D) material.

Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWNTs)

Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes are hollow, cylindrically shaped allotropes of carbon that have a high
aspect ratio (length to diameter ratio). Their name is derived from their structure and the walls are
formed by multiple one-atom-thick sheets of carbon. MWNTs consist of multiple rolled layers of
concentric nanotubes of graphene inside other nanotubes.
Methods for synthesis of CNTs

Chemical vapor deposition method ( CVD )

Chemical vapor deposition is a technique in which the vaporized reactants react chemically and forms a
nanomaterial product that is deposited on the substrate

Sources for carbon: The precursor for carbon nanotubes are hydrocarbon gases such as acetylene,
ethylene, methane.

Substrate used: Substrates are materials on which the CNTS are grown. The commonly used substrates
in CVD method are zeolite, silica, silicon plate coated with iron particles.

Catalyst used: To produce single-walled carbon nanotubes metal catalyst nanoparticles such as iron,
cobalt, nickel, molybdenum, iron-molybdenum alloys.

Conditions maintained: 
 ● Temperature: 500–900°C.

● Inert gas atmosphere: Argon gas

Procedure

The initial text describes how carbon nanotubes are synthesized using a chemical vapor deposition
method. In simple terms, a quartz tube filled with an inert gas like argon is placed inside a furnace
heated to 500 to 900 degrees Celsius. A crucible containing a substrate coated with metal nanoparticles
is placed inside the quartz tube. Then, a hydrocarbon gas is pumped into the tube where it undergoes
pyrolysis to form carbon atoms.

These carbon atoms attach to the substrate and join together due to Van der Waals forces. This allows
multi-walled carbon nanotubes to grow on the substrate. To make single-walled carbon nanotubes,
nanoparticles of iron, cobalt or nickel are used as catalysts. Finally, the obtained carbon nanotubes are
purified to get pure carbon nanotubes.

 Electric arc discharge method

Carbon nanotubes are synthesized by electric arc discharge method which is also called Plasma Arcing
method. A method for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes where a direct-current arc voltage is applied
across two graphite electrodes immersed in an inert gas such as He.

Electrodes: Pure graphite rods (both positive and negative electrode). The positive electrode is
adjustable from outside to maintain the gap between the two electrodes.

Diameter of electrodes: 5–20 μm.

Gap between electrodes: 1 mm.

Current: 50–120 amperes.

Voltage: 20–25 V.

Inert gas pressure: 100–500 mm Hg (No CNT formed below 100 mm Hg). Inert gas is used for cooling
and condensation of atoms to form the CNTs. Inert gas determines the structure of carbons to be
present in CNTS. Commonly used inert gas is helium gas.

Temperature: 3000–3500°C.
Reactor: It contains a quartz chamber that is connected to a vacuum pump and a diffusion pump to an
inert gas supply. Initially, the chamber is made vacuum by the vacuum pump and then the chamber is
filled with helium gas by the diffusion pump.

Procedure

In this method, a potential of 20–25 V is applied across the pure graphite electrodes separated by 1 mm
distance and maintained at 500 mm Hg pressure of flowing helium gas filled inside the quartz chamber.
When the electrodes are made to strike each other under these conditions it produces an electric arc.
The energy produced in the arc is transferred to the anode which ionizes the carbon atoms of pure
graphite anode and produces C+ ions and forms plasma (Plasma is atoms or molecules in a vapor state
at high temperature). These positively charged carbon ions move towards the cathode, get reduced and
deposited, and grow as CNTs on the cathode. As the CNTs grow, the length of the anode decreases, but
the electrodes are adjusted and always maintain a gap of 1 mm between the two electrodes. If proper
cooling of electrodes is achieved uniform deposition of CNTs is formed on the cathode which is achieved
by inert gas maintained at proper pressure . By this method multi-walled carbon nanotubes are
synthesized and to synthesize single-walled carbon nanotubes catalyst nanoparticles of Fe, Co, and Ni
are incorporated in the central portion of the positive electrode. The obtained CNTs are further purified
to get the pure form of CNTs.

 Laser ablation method

Physical vapor deposition (PVD): PVD is a technique by which a material can be vaporized into gaseous
form and then deposited on the surface of a substrate.

Target source: The most common carbon source-target used is solid graphite which is irradiated by a
laser source and vaporized into vapor carbon atoms.

Laser source: The laser source used for vaporization of the target material into target vapor atoms can
be a continuous laser source such as CO2 laser or a pulsed laser source such as Nd: YAG laser
(Neodymium doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet, Nd:Y 3Al5O12) .

Substrate used: The substrate used in this method is the water cooled copper collector on which the
vaporized carbon atoms deposit and grow as CNTs.

Inert gas atmosphere: Argon gas is commonly used as inert gas which flows at a constant flow rate
towards the water cooled copper collector.

Procedure

The laser Ablation method is a Physical Vapor Deposition method in which the graphite target is
vaporized by the laser source. In this method, the graphite target is placed at the center of quartz
chamber filled with argon gas and maintained at 1200°C. The graphite target is vaporized by either a
continuous laser source or a pulsed laser source. The vaporized target atoms (carbon) are swept toward
cooled copper collector by the flow of argon gas. The carbon atoms are deposited and grown as CNTs on
a cooled copper collector. In the case of the continuous laser beam, the carbon atoms are continuously
vaporized whereas in case of a pulsed laser beam the number of CNTs produced can be monitored as
each shot of the pulsed laser beam is directly proportional to the number of carbon atoms vaporized

. By this method multi-walled carbon nanotubes are synthesized and to synthesize single-walled carbon
nanotubes catalyst nanoparticles of Fe, Co, Ni are used. The obtained CNTs are further purified to get
the pure form of CNTs.

Diagrams to depict methods for synthesis of CNTs

● Chemical vapor deposition method

● Electrical arc method

 ● Laser ablation method

Drawbacks of methods used for synthesis of CNTs

Chemical Vapour Deposition

⮚ Typically applied at higher temperatures (depending on the precursor).

⮚ Difficult to mask surface. Usually an all or nothing coating.

⮚ Size limited to reaction chamber capacity.

 ⮚ Parts must be broken down into individual components and is not an "on site" process

Electrical Arc Method

⮚ A very high expert operator is necessary in order to perform arc welding operations.

⮚ This welding process is not clean for reactive metals such as titanium & aluminium

Laser Ablation Method

⮚ Incurs high investment costs because of the high price of laser system

⮚ High energy consumption since lasers require a lot of energy

Part B

3D Model of Carbon Nanotube

Desirable properties of CNTs

The carbon nanotubes are chemically neutral. So, they are chemically stable. Therefore, carbon
nanotubes resist corrosion. The carbon nanotubes designed are so strong because they are a single
chain of unbroken covalent carbon-carbon bonds. More than that, they have many carbon-carbon
bonds at each step, so breaking a carbon nanotube requires breaking many strong covalent bonds.
Carbon nanotubes are stronger than steel. They exhibit extraordinary mechanical properties. Carbon
nanotubes are ten times stronger than steel. Carbon nanotubes have a high thermal capacity. Generally,
it is twenty times stronger than steel. Therefore, it does not expand on heating like that of steel. In these
carbon nanotubes, each carbon atom is surrounded by three other carbon atoms through covalent
bonds. These carbon-carbon covalent bonds form lattices in the shape of hexagons. The crystalline
structure of carbon nanotubes exists in the form of regular hexagons hence they are elastic. The Carbon
nanotubes have a very high melting point, as each carbon atom is joined to three other carbon atoms by
strong covalent bonds. This also leaves each carbon atom with a spare electron, which forms a sea of
delocalised electrons within the tube, meaning nanotubes can conduct electricity.

Conclusion and write up

Carbon nanotubes offer many possibilities to our life and great strides have been made throughtout the
years in the field on Nanochemistry. Even though it is worthwhile to invest our time and resources into
this field it should be noted that it poses its own risks. These risks are outlined below:

Environmental Issues
Not enough data exists to know for sure if nanoparticles could have undesirable effects on the
environment. Two areas are relevant here: (1) In free form nanoparticles can be released in the air or
water during production (or production accidents) or as waste byproduct of production, and ultimately
accumulate in the soil, water or plant life. (2) In fixed form, where they are part of a manufactured
substance or product, they will ultimately have to be recycled or disposed of as waste.

We don’t know yet if certain nanoparticles will constitute a completely new class of non-biodegradable
pollutant. In case they do, we also don’t know yet how such pollutants could be removed from air or
water because most traditional filters are not suitable for such tasks (their pores are too big to catch
nanoparticles).

Health Issues

Nanoparticles are very small particles hence can enter the skin through the pores and cause poisoning
for example Silver nanoparticles. Silver is an enzyme inhibitor in the human body.Also due to their
enhanced surface area to volume ratio they can react in very uncontrollable ways.

Nanotechnology in Privacy and Security

Nanotechnology raises the possibility of microscopic recording devices, which would be virtually
undetectable. More seriously, it is possible that nanotechnology could be weaponized. Atomic weapons
would be easier to create and novel weapons might also be developed. One possibility is the so-called
"smart bullet," a computerized bullet that could be controlled and aimed very accurately. These
developments may prove a boon for the military, but if they fell into the wrong hands, the
consequences would be dire.

However there are some positives that arise from pursuing nanotechnology and materials such as
carbon nanoutubes:

Benefits

● Nanotechnology can actually revolutionize a lot of electronic products, procedures, and

applications. The areas that benefit from the continued development of nanotechnology when it
comes to electronic products include nano transistors, nano diodes, OLED, plasma displays,
quantum computers, and many more
● Nanotechnology can also benefit the energy sector. The development of more effective energy-
producing, energy-absorbing, and energy storage products in smaller and more efficient devices
is possible with this technology. Such items like batteries, fuel cells, and solar cells can be built
smaller but can be made to be more effective with this technology.
● In the medical world, nanotechnology is also seen as a boon since these can help with creating
what is called smart drugs. These help cure people faster and without the side effects that other
traditional drugs have. You will also find that the research of nanotechnology in medicine is now
 focusing on areas like tissue regeneration, bone repair, immunity and even cures for such
ailments like cancer, diabetes, and other life threatening diseases.
● In food science, the use of nanotechnology can potentially elongate the life of fruits and
vegetables. This could be achieved, for example, by putting nanoparticles of silver into foods to
work as an antibacterial agent. These nanoparticles would not be a large enough component of
the food to have a harmful effect or alter the flavor. In fact, many food manufacturers already
use nanotechnology in food.

Reference
https://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=1781.php#:~:text=Nanotechnology%20risks%20-%20the
%20real%20issues%201%20Environmental,Health%20Issues.%20...%204%20Nanotechnology%20and
%20Regulators.%20

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/carbon-nanotube-synthesis#:~:text=The%20widely
%20accepted%20methods%20are%20laser%20ablation%2C%20arc,involving%20single-walled
%20nanotubes%20in%20synthesis%20within%20a%20decade.