Workshop on "Carbon Nanotubes" - Opportunities, Requirements and Challenges
Abstract
One major outcome of the workshop was the description of several paths of research that may lead to the production of fullerene nanotubes in large quantities. Of these the most ambitious, but almost certainly also the most rewarding was one that came to be called the 'Royal Road.' The beginning of this road is the production of small amounts (grams) of single walled fullerene nanotubes from one of the current methods. The road progresses by developing methods to purify this material, and then to cut these tubes into short pieces. These pieces are then used effectively as seed crystals from which to grow fullerene nanotubes continuously from a hydrocarbon feed gas with the help of a catalyst particle attached at the 'living' end. This path of fullerene nanotube research is the 'Royal Road' because it requires the development of the high science and technology of manipulating individual fullerene nanotube pieces as true molecules. The road is Royal not only because it will lead ultimately to continuous fullerene fibers and cables of custom specified composition, but also because the molecular fullerene nanotube pieces themselves, and the technology of modifying and manipulating them, seem likely to spawn major new technologies along the way.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 23, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA342523
Entities
People
- Richard E. Smalley
Organizations
- Rice University