What are the properties of carbon nanotubes?
The wide range of electronic, thermal, and structural properties of carbon nanotubes vary according to the different diameter, length, and direction of ‘twist’ of the nanotube. Many applications arise from the surprising and desirable properties they exhibit, some of which are already being used in new and improved products. For example, carbon nanotubes are highly conductive both to electricity and heat – they exhibit an electrical conductivity as high as copper, and thermal conductivity as great as diamond. Nanotubes can be either metallic or semiconducting, leading to the potential for developing nanowires, nanoscale electrical components and nanoelectromechanical systems. They therefore offer amazing possibilities for creating future nanoelectronic devices, circuits and computers. Carbon nanotubes also have extraordinary mechanical properties – they are 100 times stronger than steel, while only one sixth of the weight. These mechanical properties offer huge possibilities – for exam
