Creating the narrowest carbon nanotubes

Discovery of carbon nanotubes in sixth century BC potteries from Keeladi, India

Unique black coatings were observed in the inner wall of pottery shreds excavated from Keeladi, Tamilnadu, India. Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to understand the nature of the coating. The analysis revealed the presence of single, multi-walled carbon nanotubes and layered sheets in the coating. The average diameter of single-walled carbon nanotube found to be about 0.6 ± 0.05 nm. This is the lowest among the single-walled carbon nanotubes reported from artefacts so far and close to the theoretically predicted value (0.4 nm). These nanomaterials were coated in the pottery’s that date backs to sixth century BC, and still retain its stability and adhesion. The findings of nano materials in the pre-historic artifacts, its significance and impact are discussed in this article.

Amplitude response of conical multiwalled carbon nanotube probes for atomic force microscopy

Carbon nanotubes are considered as great candidates for atomic force microscopy (AFM) probes because of their high aspect ratio and outstanding mechanical properties. In this work, we report that a conical AFM probe can be fabricated with arc discharge prepared multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with an individual MWCNT at the apex by dielectrophoresis. The amplitude-displacement curve of the conical MWCNT probe demonstrates that this structure can remain stable until the force exerted on it increases to 14.0 ± 1.5 nN (nanonewton). Meanwhile, the conical MWCNT probes are able to resolve complex structure with high aspect ratio compared to commercial AFM probes, suggesting great potential for various AFM applications.

Tunable electronic and magnetic properties of two-dimensional materials and their one-dimensional derivatives

Low‐dimensional materials exhibit many exceptional properties and functionalities which can be efficiently tuned by externally applied force or fields. Here we review the current status of research on tuning the electronic and magnetic properties of low‐dimensional carbon, boron nitride, metal‐dichalcogenides, phosphorene nanomaterials by applied engineering strain, external electric field and interaction with substrates, etc, with particular focus on the progress of computational methods and studies. We highlight the similarities and differences of the property modulation among one‐ and two‐dimensional nanomaterials. Recent breakthroughs in experimental demonstration of the tunable functionalities in typical nanostructures are also presented. Finally, prospective and challenges for applying the tunable properties into functional devices are discussed. WIREs Comput Mol Sci 2016, 6:324–350. doi: 10.1002/wcms.1251

For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.

Conflict of interest: The authors have declared no conflicts of interest for this article.

Zwitterion functionalized carbon nanotube/polyamide nanocomposite membranes for water desalination

We have shown from both simulations and experiments that zwitterion functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be used to construct highly efficient desalination membranes. Our simulations predicted that zwitterion functional groups at the ends of CNTs allow a high flux of water, while rejecting essentially all ions. We have synthesized zwitterion functionalized CNT/polyamide nanocomposite membranes with varying loadings of CNTs and assessed these membranes for water desalination. The CNTs within the polyamide layer were partially aligned through a high-vacuum filtration step during membrane synthesis. Addition of zwitterion functionalized CNTs into a polyamide membrane increased both the flux of water and the salt rejection ratio. The flux of water was found to increase by more than a factor of 4, from 6.8 to 28.7 GFD (gallons per square foot per day), as the fraction of CNTs was increased from 0 to 20 wt %. Importantly, the ion rejection ratio increased slightly from 97.6% to 98.6%. Thus, the nanotubes imparted an additional transport mechanism to the polyamide membrane, having higher flow rate and the same or slightly better selectivity. Simulations show that when two zwitterions are attached to each end of CNTs having diameters of about 15 Å, the ion rejection ratio is essentially 100%. In contrast, the rejection ratio for nonfunctionalized CNTs is about 0%, and roughly 20% for CNTs having five carboxylic acid groups per end. The increase in ion rejection for the zwitterion functionalized CNTs is due to a combination of steric hindrance from the functional groups partially blocking the tube ends and electrostatic repulsion between functional groups and ions, with steric effects dominating. Theoretical predictions indicate that an ideal CNT/polymer membrane having a loading of 20 wt % CNTs would have a maximum flux of about 20000 GFD at the conditions of our experiments.

COMPUTING NARROW NANOTUBES AND THEIR DERIVATIVES

Very recently, narrow nanotubes have been observed with diameters of 5 or even 4 Å. In this report we survey calculations that have so far been performed on narrow model nanotubes, namely capped by fragments of D2d and D6h C 36 fullerene cages or by fragments of C 32 and C 16quasi-fullerene cages with two four-membered rings, or finally by a fragment of dodecahedral C 20. The computations can reproduce the observed diameters of the narrow nanotubes. The results also indicate that fragments of C 32, used as caps instead of C 36, can lead to quite competitive energetics. Thus, a novel possibility that some of the narrow nanotubes can contain four-membered rings at their tips seems plausible. The present paper also surveys computational study of oxygen additions to the narrow nanotubes, i.e., a problem frequently studied with fullerenes. Both thermodynamic enthalpy changes and kinetic activation barriers for oxygen addition to selected bonds are computed and analyzed. The lowest isomer (thermodynamically the most stable) is never of the 6/6 type, i.e., the thermodynamically most convenient structures are produced by oxygen additions to the nanotube tips. The computations show that narrow nanotubes should be relatively prone to additions of oxygen.

Nanostructured materials for water desalination

Desalination of seawater and brackish water is becoming an increasingly important means to address the scarcity of fresh water resources in the world. Decreasing the energy requirements and infrastructure costs of existing desalination technologies remains a challenge. By enabling the manipulation of matter and control of transport at nanometer length scales, the emergence of nanotechnology offers new opportunities to advance water desalination technologies. This review focuses on nanostructured materials that are directly involved in the separation of water from salt as opposed to mitigating issues such as fouling. We discuss separation mechanisms and novel transport phenomena in materials including zeolites, carbon nanotubes, and graphene with potential applications to reverse osmosis, capacitive deionization, and multi-stage flash, among others. Such nanostructured materials can potentially enable the development of next-generation desalination systems with increased efficiency and capacity.

Small Fullerenes with BN Belts: A Density Functional Theory Investigation

Density functional calculations have been carried out on a series of BCN hybrid fullerenes with certain substitution patterns in comparison with their parent compounds Cn (n = 30, 32, 36, 38, 40, 44, 48, 50, 52). The substitutional structures, energy gaps between the highest occupied molecular orbital and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital, ionization potentials, electron affinities, as well as molecular electrostatic potentials have been systematically investigated. The following important points of BCN hybrid fullerenes are stressed: The present studied fullerenes, comprising tubular "belt" and polar "cap", could be divided into three types of structure; each has different indexes of tubular structure and terminal caps. The properties of BCN hybrid fullerenes depend on the type of "tubular belt + polar cap" structures, especially, the HOMO and LUMO characters and MEPs of BCN fullerene are strongly governed by their structure types.

AlN Nanotube: Round or Faceted?

Theoretical studies on one-dimensional AlN nanostructures have been performed. A faceted instead of cylindric model is proposed to reasonably understand the synthesized hexagonal AlN nanotubes. The close correlation is established that the nanotube structure should possess similar symmetry to that of the corresponding bulk crystal. This is also suitable for the few other faceted nanotubes and could be used to predict the morphology for the increasing nanotubes from nonlayered materials.

Theoretical study of the contribution of physisorption to the low-pressure adsorption of hydrogen on carbon nanotubes

To investigate the contribution of geometry on the adsorption process, we present a theoretical study of the low-pressure physisorption of hydrogen on isolated nanotubes and nanotube bundles through the second virial coefficient, B(AS), computed classically with an uncorrugated adsorption potential. The optimal nanotube bundle geometry at low pressure for a Lennard-Jones adsorption potential is obtained by studying the second virial coefficient, B(AS), for variable radius or bundle lattice constant. The most favorable bundle adsorption sites at low pressures and temperatures are identified for typical bundle structures and the relative contribution of interstitial sites relative to other sites is discussed as a function of temperature and pressure. The Boyle temperature behavior for the B(AS) virial coefficient is also discussed as a function of radius for isolated nanotubes. For a given nanostructure, the maximum pressure of applicability of the B(AS) approach, below which the adsorption isotherm is linear, is estimated as a criterion which depends on temperature.

Isomers of C20: an energy profile III

Semiempirical calculations, at the PM3 level provided within the Winmopac v2.0 software package, are used to geometrically optimize and determine the absolute energies (heats of formation) of a variety of C(20) isomers that are predicted to exist in and around the ring and cage isomers. Using the optimized Cartesian coordinates for the ring and the cage isomers, a saddle-point calculation was performed. The resulting energy profile, consisting of a series of peaks and valleys, is used as a starting point for the identification and location of fifteen additional isomers of C(20) that are predicted to be energetically stable, both via geometry optimizations and force constant analysis. These additional isomers were subsequently determined to lie adjacent to one another on the potential surface and establish a step-wise transformation between the ring and the cage. Transition-state optimization of the Cartesian coordinates at the saddle point between adjacent isomers was performed to quantify the energy of the transition state. The step-wise process from one isomer to another, which extends out over the three-dimensional surface, is predicted to require approximately 15% less energy than that of the direct, two-dimensional transformation predicted in the bowl-cage profile. However, the net atomic rearrangement for the step-wise process is about four times greater than that of the direct process. Although less in energy, the amount of atomic rearrangement in the step-wise process would make the occurrence of such a route prohibitive. Utilizing the direct distance separating the three primary isomers (ring, bowl, cage), the method of triangulation is performed to quantitatively position other C(20) structures on the potential surface, relative to the ring, bowl, and cage isomers.

Curvature-induced metallization of double-walled semiconducting zigzag carbon nanotubes

We report total-energy electronic-structure calculations that provide energetics and electronic structures of double-walled carbon nanotubes consisting of semiconducting (n,0) nanotubes. We find that optimum spacing between the walls of the nanotubes is slightly larger than the interlayer spacing of the graphite. We also find that the electronic structures of the double-walled nanotubes with the inner (7,0) nanotube are metallic with multicarrier characters in which electrons and holes exist on inner and outer nanotubes, respectively. Interwall spacing and curvature difference are found to be essential for the electron states around the Fermi level.

Computations of model narrow nanotubes closed by fragments of smaller fullerenes and quasi-fullerenes

New type of carbon nanotubes-narrow nanotubes-has recently been observed with diameters of 4-5 A. It has been postulated that the narrow nanotubes are closed by fullerene fragments of C(20) and C(36). This paper presents computational results on related model nanotubes with stoichiometries such as C(80), C(84), C(96), C(108), or C(120). The computations were carried out at the PM3, AM1, SAM1, HF/3-21G, HF/4-31G, and B3LYP/6-31G(*) levels. Two C(36) fullerenes were considered, D(6h) and D(2d). At the PM3 level and with the C(84) nanotube stoichiometry, the D(2d) cage closure gave a lower energy (by 185 kcal/mol and a diameter of 5.42 A). There is another possible candidate, a C(32) cage with D(4d) symmetry (two four-membered rings). At the PM3 level and with the C(96) nanotube stoichiometry, the D(4d) closure (with a diameter of 5.43 A) had energy lower by 210 kcal/mol than that of the D(6h) nanotube closure. On the other hand, four-membered rings should not play a significant role for narrow nanotubes with a diameter of 4 A, where the dodecahedron-related closure should be exclusive. Still narrower nanotubes are briefly discussed.

New DNA sequencing methods

The Human Genome Project and other major genomic sequencing projects have pushed the development of sequencing technology. In the past six years alone, instrument throughput has increased 15-fold. New technologies are now on the horizon that could yield massive increases in our capacity for de novo DNA sequencing. This review presents a summary of state-of-the-art technologies for genomic sequencing and describes technologies that may be candidates for the next generation of DNA sequencing instruments.

Structural and functional imaging with carbon nanotube AFM probes

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has great potential as a tool for structural biology, a field in which there is increasing demand to characterize larger and more complex biomolecular systems. However, the poorly characterized silicon and silicon nitride probe tips currently employed in AFM limit its biological applications. Carbon nanotubes represent ideal AFM tip materials due to their small diameter, high aspect ratio, large Young's modulus, mechanical robustness, well-defined structure, and unique chemical properties. Nanotube probes were first fabricated by manual assembly, but more recent methods based on chemical vapor deposition provide higher resolution probes and are geared towards mass production, including recent developments that enable quantitative preparation of individual single-walled carbon nanotube tips [J. Phys. Chem. B 105 (2001) 743]. The high-resolution imaging capabilities of these nanotube AFM probes have been demonstrated on gold nanoparticles and well-characterized biomolecules such as IgG and GroES. Using the nanotube probes, new biological structures have been investigated in the areas of amyloid-beta protein aggregation and chromatin remodeling, and new biotechnologies have been developed such as AFM-based haplotyping. In addition to measuring topography, chemically functionalized AFM probes can measure the spatial arrangement of chemical functional groups in a sample. However, standard silicon and silicon nitride tips, once functionalized, do not yield sufficient resolution to allow combined structural and functional imaging of biomolecules. The unique end-group chemistry of carbon nanotubes, which can be arbitrarily modified by established chemical methods, has been exploited for chemical force microscopy, allowing single-molecule measurements with well-defined functionalized tips.

Peierls transition with acoustic phonons and solitwistons in carbon nanotubes

We show that the Peierls instability can result in softening of acoustic phonons with small wave vectors and suggest that this unusual transition takes place in carbon nanotubes, resulting in a static twist deformation of the nanotube lattice. The topological excitations in the ordered phase are immobile and propagate only in pairs.

Structural biology with carbon nanotube AFM probes

Carbon nanotubes represent ideal probes for high-resolution structural and chemical imaging of biomolecules with atomic force microscopy. Recent advances in fabrication of carbon nanotube probes with sub-nanometer radii promise to yield unique insights into the structure, dynamics and function of biological macromolecules and complexes.

Stability of carbon nanotubes: how small can they be?

Experimental evidence has been found for the existence of small single wall carbon nanotubes with diameters of 0.5 and 0.33 nm by high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and their mechanical stability was investigated using tight-binding molecular dynamics simulations. It is shown that, while the carbon tubes with diameters smaller than 0.4 nm are energetically less favorable than a graphene sheet, some of them are indeed mechanically stable at temperatures as high as 1100 degrees C. The 0.33 nm carbon tube observed is likely a (4, 0) tube and is indeed part of a compound nanotube system that forms perhaps the smallest metal-semiconductor-metal tubular junction yet synthesized.

Direct haplotyping of kilobase-size DNA using carbon nanotube probes

We have implemented a method for multiplexed detection of polymorphic sites and direct determination of haplotypes in 10-kilobase-size DNA fragments using single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) atomic force microscopy (AFM) probes. Labeled oligonucleotides are hybridized specifically to complementary target sequences in template DNA, and the positions of the tagged sequences are detected by direct SWNT tip imaging. We demonstrated this concept by detecting streptavidin and IRD800 labels at two different sequences in M13mp18. Our approach also permits haplotype determination from simple visual inspection of AFM images of individual DNA molecules, which we have done on UGT1A7, a gene under study as a cancer risk factor. The haplotypes of individuals heterozygous at two critical loci, which together influence cancer risk, can be easily and directly distinguished from AFM images. The application of this technique to haplotyping in population-based genetic disease studies and other genomic screening problems is discussed.