C60 and Nanotubes

Presenter: Jonathan Hare

Published: December 2013

Age: 14-19 and upwards

Views: 1249 views

Tags: C60,nano,nanotube,graphite

Type: Lectures

Source/institution: University of Sussex

Jonathan shows how a sheet of graphite (hexagons) can be modified to make closed cages and tubes.  In real life the smallest of these tubes are only 1/100,000,000 meter in diameter – a nanometer (nm) – hence they are called nanotubes.  Depending on the way the hexagons are arranged three types of carbon nanotubes are possible: zig-zag, armchair and spiral.  Each promises unusual and interesting properties.