TABLE OF CONTENTS Carbon is quite an important element in our lives. Existing abundantly in the earth and the universe, it can be widely used in the future technology. Pure carbon exists in four different crystalline forms: Diamond, Graphite, Fullerenes and Nanotubes. Other common carbon includes amorphous carbon, charcoals, soot and glassy carbon (microcrystalline forms of graphite). Before C 60 was discovered in 1985, Diamond and graphite are the two well-known forms of crystalline carbon. Then, in 1991, Iijima discovered carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Scientists and engineers are interested in this exotic carbon structure and have discovered series of theory and method for the synthesis of CNTs. There are still other special carbon nanostructures, such as nanoballs, nanofibers. Each structure may have its own theory and can be applied in special fields. This chapter provides an overview of current science and technology of carbon nanostructures, with a special focus on the synthesis of CNTs and fullerenes and their applications.
Harold Kroto, James Heath, Sean O'Brien, Robert Curl, and Richard Smalley first discovered the C 60 molecules in 1985. C 60 is a molecule that consists of 60 carbon atoms, arranged as 12 pentagons and 20 hexagons. The shape is the same as that of a soccer ball (Fig. 11.1). Based on a theorem of the mathematician Leonhard Euler, one can show that a spherical surface entirely built up from...
