Present and Future Uses:
There are many current and future applications for nanotubes because
of their unique range of properties, (which can be altered simply by altering
the molecule slightly), these include:
-
Nanotube Ropes/Fibres:
(as mentioned earlier) These have great potential if the SWNT's can be
made slightly longer they have the potential to become the next generation
of carbon fibres
Carbon
nanotube fibres under an electron microscope
-
Nano-test-tubes:
Scientists can now open nanotubes at one end and put a variey of materials
in them and also modify the tubes to make them functional by adding groups
onto the surface
-
Nanoelectronics:
Nanotubes are either conducting or semi-conducting depending upon their
structure (or their 'twist') so they could be very useful in electronic
circuitry
-
Nanotube flat display devices:
One of the many promising types of applications for carbon nanotubes is
flat electronic display devices.
In 1997 a joint research team from the National Institute of Materials
and Chemical Research and Mie University discovered that carbon nanotubes
emit ring-shaped electron discharges when they are exposed to a weak electrical
field. The ring-shaped discharges are nanometer sized and are emitted from
the ends of the tubes. In 1999 Ulvac Japan Ltd developed a process for
growing carbon nanotubes which are both aligned vertically and located
at the desired locations on base plates of field emission displays (FED).
(FEDs are a new type of flat panel display device which is currently being
developed. They combine the high image quality of CRT with the thinness
and low power consumption of LCD.)
Title
Page, Introduction, The
Basics of Nanotubes, From Buckyballs
to Nanotubes, Synthesis of Nanotubes,
Present
and Future Uses for Nanotubes, Contact
Details.