Unit 1.1 Minidoc — The Discovery of Nanotubes
The mini - documentary describes the discovery of nanotubes in 1991. It relates their structure to their function and shows various models and images of these interesting molecules.
Video program cues: 0:30-4:30

Technological applications

"One of the first really big excitements about what these might be good for, had nothing to do with large scale materials or large scale synthesis. It was based on the idea that if you visualize an individual tube as being made by just taking an individual graphite layer of chicken-wire and rolling it up, what you get for a nanotube depends on how you do the cutting of the little rectangle that eventually is going to be rolled up into a tube…."

Dr. Jack Fischer
Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Univ. of Pennsylvania

There are a lot of things that we can potentially put inside nanotubes. Molecules that are bioactive…for chemotherapy targeted at the sub-cellular scale…new types of electronic materials…building very stiff materials…."

Brian Smith
Ph.D. Candidate, Univ. of Pennsylvania

"…Because one has a form of carbon that is both an insulator and a semi-conductor, and can be a perfect metal, one can start thinking about making computer parts out of metal tube segments…."

Dr. Brett Dunlap
Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C.

Links

• The discovery, properties, structure and applications of fullerenes are all on this site
• The discovery and properties of nanotubes are shown
• This includes links for teachers and students as well as information about nanotubes
• Applications of nanotubes are highlighted

Readings

Rouhy, A.M., C&EN Washington, (2001)' 'Bacteria: Beware', 'Chemical & Engineering News, Vol. 79, No. 32, pp: 41-43.

Thayer, A.M., Houston,(2001)' 'Nanotech Offers Some There, There', 'Chemical & Engineering News, Vol. 79, No. 48, pp: 21-26.

Proceed to Unit 1.2