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Science 19 November 2004:
Vol. 306. no. 5700, p. 1255
DOI: 10.1126/science.306.5700.1255a
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This Week in Science

Figure 1 Spinning fibers to make stronger yarns and ropes is an old technology. By looking at the fundamentals of this process and scaling them down to fibers with nanometer-sized diameters, Zhang et al. (p. 1358) have developed a technique to spin carbon nanotube yarns from mats of fibers. The twisted yarns can be infiltrated with a polymer to improve their strength. Unlike larger diameter materials, a knot can be made in the ropes without a loss of strength. Many methods have been developed for making single-walled carbon nanotubes, but there are still significant limitations to making the tubes in large quantities and free from impurities or residual catalysts. Hata et al. (p. 1362; see the news story by Service) modified the standard chemical vapor deposition synthesis by adding a small amount of water, which removes the residual carbon from the catalyst particles and keeps them chemically active for longer periods. The nanotube forests are easily removed from the bed of catalyst particles, which continue to be chemically active.

CREDIT: ZHANG ET AL.




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