ISSN:
1013-9826
Source:
Scientific.Net: Materials Science & Technology / Trans Tech Publications Archiv 1984-2008
Topics:
Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Production Engineering, Mining and Metallurgy, Traffic Engineering, Precision Mechanics
Notes:
The lack of a low cost, high volume method to produce carbon nanotubes has greatly limitedtheir commercialization. Carbon nanofibers have a similar structure and properties as nanotubesand are a commercially viable alternative to them. In recent years many of the difficulties ofcommercial nanofiber production have been overcome through innovations in their manufacturingprocess. It is now possible to produce carbon nanofibers of different grades, such as thinner andthicker walled ones, and low heat treated and high heat treated ones. Most significantly,commercial quantities can now be produced of carbon nanofibers that have been surfacefunctionalized with carboxylic acid groups, making them suitable for further functionalization andnew classes of applications, such as biomedical sensors and drug delivery.Despite their cost advantages and availability more widespread use of carbon nanofibers hasbeen hampered by uncertainties in their molecular structure and a lack of physical propertymeasurements. However, recent theoretical and experimental studies have addressed thesedeficiencies showing that these fibers have a cone-helix structure under the usual manufacturingconditions. Additionally, small amounts of a segmented carbon nanotube structure, commonlycalled a bamboo structure, are also present. When the conical nanofibers were heat treated theywere found to transform to a stacked cone structure. Advances in surface functionalization haveallowed a variety of groups to be incorporated on them, significantly enhancing their properties andpotential applications. Finally, the recent development of a new method to measure the elasticproperties and morphology of single nanofibers has clearly demonstrated the high strength of thesefibers. These nanofibers now represent a well understood and well characterized graphitic carbonnanomaterial that can be manufactured at low cost in large quantities, and have the potential tobring widespread use of nanotechnology to a variety of fields
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://www.tib-hannover.de/fulltexts/2011/0528/01/57/transtech_doi~10.4028%252Fwww.scientific.net%252FKEM.380.193.pdf
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